tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92000611234702827622024-02-07T02:09:06.971-08:00Reflections on Walt DisneyWalt Disney the man and the things which made him one of the most remarkable and creative individuals of the 20th Century.Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-52067225908481726902019-02-13T11:34:00.001-08:002019-02-13T12:20:01.887-08:00Seeking Cherry Tree LaneWith last year's release of Mary Poppins Returns comes the simultaneous return of a curious question regarding the possible location of 17 Cherry Tree Lane.<br />
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The Orange County Register explored it back in 2013, just before the opening of Saving Mr. Banks. They ended up in the neighborhood of Primrose Hill, at the north end of Regent's Park. Lacking immediate access to London, I decided to pursue another, more scientific, route.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfOE1A-j9b0aRri0HTkVi4MYdP8k1yhpaaiidisFEqdb8NyLrmQzOeHh7menRdbJZbMyLAGu8zk7mbHXX8_0lff49H1vWlYQHkHcRNYnHn0OPjKCyzwTOpyu6NW70QiW3-niaoOzlkAfI/s1600/Mary-Poppins-Returns-Rooftop+Level.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfOE1A-j9b0aRri0HTkVi4MYdP8k1yhpaaiidisFEqdb8NyLrmQzOeHh7menRdbJZbMyLAGu8zk7mbHXX8_0lff49H1vWlYQHkHcRNYnHn0OPjKCyzwTOpyu6NW70QiW3-niaoOzlkAfI/s400/Mary-Poppins-Returns-Rooftop+Level.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Skyline at 17 Cherry Tree Lane</div>
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Among the publicity photos released for Mary Poppins Returns is this image of Cherry Tree Lane. Off in the distance are two architectural landmarks which should be familiar; Elizabeth Tower and the Victoria Tower, which are the bookends to the Palace of Westminster.<br />
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<b>Elizabeth Tower</b> - commonly referred to as Big Ben - is 315 feet tall and occupies the northwest corner. It was originally called the Clock Tower and houses the Great Clock of Westminster, which was built by John Edward Dent, based on designs by amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison.<br />
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At the other end of the palace, 1000 feet away, is the 323 foot tall <b>Victoria Tower</b>, the grandest feature of Charles Barry's design for the New Palace of Westminster. When completed in 1858, the Victoria Tower was the tallest secular building in the world.<br />
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Looking at the image more closely and overlaying a full image of the Elizabeth tower begins to offer some clues.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOBaqQuNvbm3cmooyYONXOkj5orTarOeIEQBfU8NRfp4LhD2iMnkw-_6wohyphenhyphenreNDR87fcwsJMg53ChBUlmM1TPbMc-lBe7stpZXibev7ipYVXoBdAA8a_Hk2_8aunJIKJut6pWqBdcSwD/s1600/Detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOBaqQuNvbm3cmooyYONXOkj5orTarOeIEQBfU8NRfp4LhD2iMnkw-_6wohyphenhyphenreNDR87fcwsJMg53ChBUlmM1TPbMc-lBe7stpZXibev7ipYVXoBdAA8a_Hk2_8aunJIKJut6pWqBdcSwD/s400/Detail.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnified and Enhanced Detail</td></tr>
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Zooming in and enhancing the image reveals that our line of sight from Cherry Tree Lane to Westminster is to the South East, as Big Ben is on the left and Victoria Tower on the right. Further, we can clearly see both the North and West clock faces - although we are not exactly on the diagonal, as the apparent width of the both of the tower's north and west sides are unequal.</div>
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Now that we know the rough heading, the question which remains is the distance. For this we need to apply some geometry, while making some assumptions about the virtual lens the image might have been photographed thru. </div>
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The full image is clearly wide angle - probably a Cinema lens, which would give the image an angle of view of 40 degrees laterally and 16.7 degrees vertically. </div>
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Comparing the height of the tower with the height of the full image gives an angular measurement of 3.44717433 degrees, which would result in a distance of 5230 feet, placing us just short of a mile from the tower.</div>
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What was a mile northwest of Big Ben like in 1928? For that we need a map of London; The blue line starts at Big Ben and the blue arc is one mile out. (On an interesting side note, this map has as it's origin Charing Cross, which has a tie-in to Marry Poppins Returns in the lyrics of A Cover is Not the Book.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlAvz2prMgQNYsBtzdu2LwXmB-iB0mobUtJMb8oWJKU7T0LLvQ6Ma9PzwoaDzKaWI5cwcBrEt_JYPT-0bptZ8vW1NtTyEJjfC33aTtEklnkiv0YOG52lrTmo0C0AaPKDicsrwLgAl2RtW/s1600/Map+Detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1600" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlAvz2prMgQNYsBtzdu2LwXmB-iB0mobUtJMb8oWJKU7T0LLvQ6Ma9PzwoaDzKaWI5cwcBrEt_JYPT-0bptZ8vW1NtTyEJjfC33aTtEklnkiv0YOG52lrTmo0C0AaPKDicsrwLgAl2RtW/s320/Map+Detail.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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1928 Bacon's Geographical Map of London</div>
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Traveling North-West from Big Ben for a mile today places us near Berkeley Square Gardens, with Saint James Gardens being a bit further to the North-East. Both are near Piccadilly Circus.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOmcLRURpPsSg1ptAGsQf_IyaTR1cwBv2d9QCFEOudy7bst6DgdJRZeN12bKLTvvIV-Jh-iHC8cgVrodgyAv6Q-LVsmqX9DbZo3vFaT74bIBfbFtUyoLiNcT96LcqB0GoiOUR_ecgfvJg/s1600/Berkeley+Square+Gardens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1370" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOmcLRURpPsSg1ptAGsQf_IyaTR1cwBv2d9QCFEOudy7bst6DgdJRZeN12bKLTvvIV-Jh-iHC8cgVrodgyAv6Q-LVsmqX9DbZo3vFaT74bIBfbFtUyoLiNcT96LcqB0GoiOUR_ecgfvJg/s400/Berkeley+Square+Gardens.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkeley Square Gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJ9CHCmBLbFQiI19AiKq5yUtiv3z4Z40bKOgkyJ_Z5pOK1_pD2Sk0GaQEcEwM9d8K2Udi1QAhIei2GJLibe8jWDzruw6Vmn2eKe382mMzO8xZ9ZHDw23N-UB8d2OG-y6-uXVmNGacbQQO/s1600/Saint+James+Gardens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1210" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJ9CHCmBLbFQiI19AiKq5yUtiv3z4Z40bKOgkyJ_Z5pOK1_pD2Sk0GaQEcEwM9d8K2Udi1QAhIei2GJLibe8jWDzruw6Vmn2eKe382mMzO8xZ9ZHDw23N-UB8d2OG-y6-uXVmNGacbQQO/s400/Saint+James+Gardens.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint James Square Gardens</td></tr>
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Primrose Hill is about 3 1/4 miles North-Northwest of Westminster - probably too far out to qualify given the apparent size of the Big Ben tower at that distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OiOGqtBsMKanaxoI7RUzDeiEhKqKFaILVP4iu5mJLRLltDx8EwlHbI4ZCV9VAiqmor6X3rbBZlWNtU0GCaGIBHsQGpm745hVq6cOHy5r_dgL5JcMMnVZxc_ONIWYl6QGbwZxmqOGQ9G-/s1600/Primrose+Hill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1366" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OiOGqtBsMKanaxoI7RUzDeiEhKqKFaILVP4iu5mJLRLltDx8EwlHbI4ZCV9VAiqmor6X3rbBZlWNtU0GCaGIBHsQGpm745hVq6cOHy5r_dgL5JcMMnVZxc_ONIWYl6QGbwZxmqOGQ9G-/s400/Primrose+Hill.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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If anyone cares to send a picture of the lovely London skyline towards Big Ben from any of these locations, we'll be happy to post it here and compare notes.<br />
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For reference, here's an image taken from Primrose Hill today;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZjQChwOJauS6-g-BoTR1jxwCYzEiBMpRQCAMAGeqeNMystsqwky3GW8T7ngafB21BS5JcnKsTFiV0fs1bwUjXdvcxiIJCNHj80lJpYhMEeqE_Qh7u6pNTx8b2zU-N8as4czvpacvGyZT/s1600/skyline-view-primrose-hill-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZjQChwOJauS6-g-BoTR1jxwCYzEiBMpRQCAMAGeqeNMystsqwky3GW8T7ngafB21BS5JcnKsTFiV0fs1bwUjXdvcxiIJCNHj80lJpYhMEeqE_Qh7u6pNTx8b2zU-N8as4czvpacvGyZT/s400/skyline-view-primrose-hill-large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Until then, keep looking up!</div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-69822567321798381472019-01-14T09:16:00.013-08:002023-07-11T17:56:54.332-07:00Airplane Crazy Walt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsd505i0P1WlSxd8pYLJrh2W6pv7BbEtSXyZnyqZ31nxZ2ykEo4Q-qEmu7itY2zRWxmcucqI0M-Ot9DKlEY9CJtGzCGON6gUvzXOlcQVdR9JBV9ef-P2d8k1OiK84xsCM21q8qarNX4Wb/s1600/Walt+Boarding+Ford+Trimotor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsd505i0P1WlSxd8pYLJrh2W6pv7BbEtSXyZnyqZ31nxZ2ykEo4Q-qEmu7itY2zRWxmcucqI0M-Ot9DKlEY9CJtGzCGON6gUvzXOlcQVdR9JBV9ef-P2d8k1OiK84xsCM21q8qarNX4Wb/s320/Walt+Boarding+Ford+Trimotor.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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If you do a web search on Walt Disney's Airplane you are likely to find a series of stories about the Grumman G-159 Gulfstream, tail number N234MM, which ended up on the backstage tour at Walt Disney World. While that's part of a story of Walt's love of aviation, it's neither the beginning nor the end.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIwu7wed59Bu2BrTSm56AeC7fsCsTOd5LN8BzO3HEIgTgdhmJlfyFPV-KXlTTGtUS6cxFq2PiJ3qsZeGa537oD6vfUTRcVtwULI5GcMaoHQTdfxpGQN5HGD7EWSAdloQYL0HkAtXRgEUUKN93PGoTTUun_kqEIkQryVF5_eU_cRRdyCLlEKbRnDEGunq_/s1024/Vin%20Fiz%20EX.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1024" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIwu7wed59Bu2BrTSm56AeC7fsCsTOd5LN8BzO3HEIgTgdhmJlfyFPV-KXlTTGtUS6cxFq2PiJ3qsZeGa537oD6vfUTRcVtwULI5GcMaoHQTdfxpGQN5HGD7EWSAdloQYL0HkAtXRgEUUKN93PGoTTUun_kqEIkQryVF5_eU_cRRdyCLlEKbRnDEGunq_/s320/Vin%20Fiz%20EX.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vin Fiz Model EX</div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Walt’s interest in aviation started early.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives was interviewed for an article in Aircraft International News and said that Walt was intrigued by aviation as early as age 10.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In 1911, he and his brother Roy ran two miles to see <b><i>Calbraith Perry Rodgers</i></b> land the <b><i>Vin Fiz Wright Flyer</i></b> <b><i>EX</i></b> in Swope Park in Kansas City during its first transcontinental flight.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ed Ovalle, senior archivist at Walt Disney Archives, explained that several years later, “Walt was in Paris at the end of World War I and while touring the town, he spotted a French military airplane sitting in a field. “He wanted to take a flight, but the officers told him it was only for French military personnel.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Walt he related the story later on, he said, “But 50 francs I had saved up made a French aviation mechanic wink at the law, and I had my thirst to fly satisfied for the first time.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvPJp1QCXCZRR_1id5FdyFlHmZAVq3yBFwP44Xvt_TNH6R4wl4nBuNMd6QgftwbQupDHJLximZnpqbqCiHUIqae6vttvYhsRBMSex9OKfTUJOVDwfWGxAbNfibkbnnPsvk92XIxcjUtHyYlVSWdKdpcerhxPVhsU9-7kp6bDOLWL3XBgsQEfTNKlKR4QR/s357/Plane_Crazy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="357" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvPJp1QCXCZRR_1id5FdyFlHmZAVq3yBFwP44Xvt_TNH6R4wl4nBuNMd6QgftwbQupDHJLximZnpqbqCiHUIqae6vttvYhsRBMSex9OKfTUJOVDwfWGxAbNfibkbnnPsvk92XIxcjUtHyYlVSWdKdpcerhxPVhsU9-7kp6bDOLWL3XBgsQEfTNKlKR4QR/s320/Plane_Crazy.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plane Crazy Mickey</div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">You can't overlook the significance of <i>Plane Crazy</i>, which was the first Mickey Mouse cartoon which first screened on May 15, 1928 and was released with sound on March 17, 1929.</span></p>
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Walt's first house at <a href="https://www.findingwalt.com/walt-disneys-palm-springs-home/" target="_blank">Smoke Tree Ranch</a> in Palm Springs was a 125 mile drive from Holmby Hills, which in those days could take three hours. Walt loved his time there, taking Lilly on early morning horseback rides which ended with a ranch style breakfast in the desert where their neighbors - who called themselves "colonists" - would sit together at long picnic tables, enjoying pancakes and eggs in the fresh morning air.<br />
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There had to be a better way to get to Smoke Tree and Woolie Reitherman, one of Disney's Nine Old Men, literally had just the ticket. He was a founding member of Sky Roamers Air Travel, a flying club located at Lockheed Air Terminal, now known as Bob Hope Airport. Woolie suggested that Walt would save time if he <b><i>flew</i></b> to Smoke Tree Ranch and made arrangements for Chuck Malone - another flying club member - to be Walt's pilot. Chuck's flying skills would prove very useful to Walt later in a number of ways, contributing to the development of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Chuck eventually became Walt's chief pilot, flying him around the country, over central Florida and the El Morro fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Walt remarked that it had the perfect look for Pirates of the Caribbean. </span></div>
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Imagineer Bob Gurr recalled how Walt decided to get his own airplane. On one of Walt's trips to Palm Springs, Frank Sinatra's plane - probably his LearJet 50 - was parked on the tarmac. One of Walt's grandchildren asked why he didn't have one too. Walt had Buzz Price look into the financials, which showed that it could be a sound business decision. Roy Disney thought it was a bad idea, so in in typical fashion, Walt countered by saying: "Well, I've got a little money; I'll do it myself." Walt ordered an eight passenger Beechcraft Queen Air Model 80. With a top speed of 247 mph, a list price of $135,000 and the tail number N123MM. It became Walt's first airplane in February of 1963.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ifat8LWOLeWrcmDWnfPq6rqvrfIdujgMShOxVxsLMd1GJhpQABeeWpE7bU6fF5XxRbuwvIAecZcHZsoCPVzziqlF0wzkIQmYqb0XEAr3QR3vg3yBmz7xN-eqO5_fFq1PKIsLipRSz7U0/s1600/N234MM+Queen+Air.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1180" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ifat8LWOLeWrcmDWnfPq6rqvrfIdujgMShOxVxsLMd1GJhpQABeeWpE7bU6fF5XxRbuwvIAecZcHZsoCPVzziqlF0wzkIQmYqb0XEAr3QR3vg3yBmz7xN-eqO5_fFq1PKIsLipRSz7U0/s400/N234MM+Queen+Air.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beechcraft Queen Air Model 80, tail number N123MM</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">
Nine months later, on November 22, 1963, the day of John F. Kennedy's assassination, Walt, Buzz Price, Joe Fowler, Donn Tatum, Jack Sayers and Card Walker were on a flying tour which took them to St. Louis, Niagara Falls, the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area and central Florida, not far from where Walt's family had once lived. Their aircraft was N799G, a loaner Gulfstream from Pacific Airmotive in Burbank. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">They toured Ocala by car and saw the Citrus Tower in Clermont. It was while looking out the aircraft's windows at thousands of undeveloped acres near the intersection of the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 4 that Walt looked down and said; "That's it!"- selecting the location for the Florida Project. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Gulfstream is larger than a DC-3 and has a six foot high main cabin. In the executive configuration it seats 8 in spacious comfort. Walt ordered one, which had received the tail number N732G on September 4, 1963.<br />
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The Gulfstream was a significant step up from the Queen Air; cruising at 350 mph at up to 30,000 feet, the G-1 was well suited for carrying executives and staff working on the World's Fair project in New York.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacific Airmotive Postcard ca. 1960's</td></tr>
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Grumman had decided to re-enter the business aviation market a decade earlier, choosing a low wing design with twin turboprop engines supplied by Rolls Royce. The result was a sleek, fast, efficient aircraft on the leading edge of the current aviation technology. Grumman had decades of experience designing and building some of the most rugged and reliable military aircraft in the world and applied that experience to the Gulfstream. Even lacking today's modern flight control systems, it was a pleasure to fly. Forty years later, it is still a head-turner with impressive performance. The ground breaking Dart 529 engines produce over 2000 horsepower each, 66% more than the most powerful engines on a DC-3 and four times that of the Queen Air. The Dart was the first turboprop engine used in commercial air transport, also powering the Vickers Viscount and the even longer lived Fokker F-27.<br />
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Grumman would eventually build 200 of the G-159s. Walt's airplane was serial number 121. She was assigned the tail number N732G on September 4th, 1963. Seven Three Two Golf was ready for final inspection on November 11th and received an airworthiness certification, registration and first bill of sale on December 6, 1963, the day after Walt's birthday. It remains a one-owner aircraft to this day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwuvo3yH8JGJv7q3fGjT_nEj_sCSnWD9fNEGz2A6Dni07I_2_EJdd-YS6Gq0xa1VKNwY_8OkPC_i8mNPKPenxpcjLQht_8zU2VtIdKo4wgvtZGYgKvR4B6WvTjvSIoRRUsAHaK8YsWTqq/s1600/Walt+and+Crew.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1090" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwuvo3yH8JGJv7q3fGjT_nEj_sCSnWD9fNEGz2A6Dni07I_2_EJdd-YS6Gq0xa1VKNwY_8OkPC_i8mNPKPenxpcjLQht_8zU2VtIdKo4wgvtZGYgKvR4B6WvTjvSIoRRUsAHaK8YsWTqq/s400/Walt+and+Crew.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt and Guests on board a "loaner" G-159<br /><br /></td></tr>
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By March 1964 the special interior furnishings which Disney ordered were complete. In December, Grumman Service Change #175, added 1700 pounds to the fuel capacity. That increased the maximum range with reserves to 2540 miles, allowing direct flights from Burbank to Orlando with a 45 minute safety margin.</span></div>
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At one time N234MM was the most highly utilized Gulfstream I in the country, accumulating over 18,500 hours and 8500 landings by August of 1991. </span></div>
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After twenty years of service, it had its final flight on October 8, 1992. <a href="https://www.yesterland.com/waltsplane.html" target="_blank">This is the plane you used to see on the backstage tour at Walt Disney World</a>. It was moved backstage, to a site near the Walt Disney World waste treatment facility. In 2022 it was put on display at D23 and then moved to the Palm Springs Air Museum for restoration.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N234MM @ WDW Facilities</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gulfstream G-159 with Factory livery as N732G</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">N234MM with Mickey Roundel on the tail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9YBEY-SzPAM-elKIikaDJlUPv1jqoFeTm1vtKiCXdhhf_yeTTbGtn6WQwYQIqJ0iY44kH2b0Ww06rln83PPmFECPVrQea8sYLQzQC6gwQeHQqWThWqzSt7mxVnQa2s0HzLiPVG96so67/s1600/walts-plane-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="696" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9YBEY-SzPAM-elKIikaDJlUPv1jqoFeTm1vtKiCXdhhf_yeTTbGtn6WQwYQIqJ0iY44kH2b0Ww06rln83PPmFECPVrQea8sYLQzQC6gwQeHQqWThWqzSt7mxVnQa2s0HzLiPVG96so67/s400/walts-plane-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boss</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_DG_NFKOQ_wv_rn5HEsRlhZoZHSSj1e4A1KQSTdJ0AQnIqDs5pLC29gD4ETZlzShKVyGVySaZF043VGbCgCvHyJjgvhcTswxF2rJBmoyx6TUicY9C9Qnss8HCY9boMpzVI3OTrtaN9tI/s1600/N2344MM+Final+Flight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="640" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_DG_NFKOQ_wv_rn5HEsRlhZoZHSSj1e4A1KQSTdJ0AQnIqDs5pLC29gD4ETZlzShKVyGVySaZF043VGbCgCvHyJjgvhcTswxF2rJBmoyx6TUicY9C9Qnss8HCY9boMpzVI3OTrtaN9tI/s400/N2344MM+Final+Flight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Mouse" Arrives at WDW, October 8th, 1992<br /><br /></td></tr>
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In July of 1965, Walt traded the Queen Air in for a Beechcraft King Air Model 90, (S.N. LJ-57) which flew from 1965 to 1967;</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzct-jhE7ZI96Nq1KABe2FtN3g0-HlFnHPMu-YOMuGaXxKrtTUzO_POLEzzkZdFkFu-sEuxjAlMYMvJJle5NjkwGNE_546zxzWte7gAIbpT4MW8doTRewI_6bOHLPW6E7Pm0OVvV1oipl6/s1600/Walt+and+Family+%252B+Queen+Air.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzct-jhE7ZI96Nq1KABe2FtN3g0-HlFnHPMu-YOMuGaXxKrtTUzO_POLEzzkZdFkFu-sEuxjAlMYMvJJle5NjkwGNE_546zxzWte7gAIbpT4MW8doTRewI_6bOHLPW6E7Pm0OVvV1oipl6/s400/Walt+and+Family+%252B+Queen+Air.png" title="King Air N2344MM, Walt and Family" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Air Model C90 N234MM, Walt and Family at Pacific Airmotive in Burbank</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkptAnJakKBFsqO9Foka2no87wAPUrDitSyuBVWmW9hpGvejCVNF2fzz35pxGtcuymcKdb62dXidoRV3p2h4rypGVMDkaFGzC45gzl2vU4nLMjJduMeh__qQN2O3LFHfGfHyiz2Ts0ZX36/s1600/King+Air+Model+%252B+Photo.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1184" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkptAnJakKBFsqO9Foka2no87wAPUrDitSyuBVWmW9hpGvejCVNF2fzz35pxGtcuymcKdb62dXidoRV3p2h4rypGVMDkaFGzC45gzl2vU4nLMjJduMeh__qQN2O3LFHfGfHyiz2Ts0ZX36/s400/King+Air+Model+%252B+Photo.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Beechcraft sales photo and King Air Model from Walt's Office</td></tr>
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The King Air could carrying 10 passengers, including a flight crew of two. It was also a step up from the Queen Air, being powered by a pair of Pratt and Whitney PT-6 Turboprop engines and capable of cruising at 270 mph at 23,000 feet. Fully equipped, its list price was $320,000.</span></div>
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This is the way Bob Gurr remembered the progression; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The Queen Air was traded in on a new tan and brown turboprop Beechcraft King Air Model 90 using the N234MM tail number from the Queen Air. The King Air was fast and quiet, but we found that the Gulfstream could get in and out of smaller airports just as easy as the King Air. So Disney did not keep the King Air for long. Thus, the Gulfstream eventually ended up with the N234MM tail number.</i><br />
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(Note; FAA records indicate that the King Air was sold and Gulfstream N732G became N234MM on September 20, 1967.)</span></div>
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Bob Gurr said the Disney pilots originally used "two three four Metro Metro" as their radio call sign. Then they started trying 'two three four Mickey Mouse' - which was not a standard ICAO Aircraft call. Soon the FAA enroute controllers were also calling it "Mickey Mouse." Bob thinks other corporate pilots were probably jealous of the special treatment.</span></div>
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Regarding the love of flying, Chuck Malone recalled that Walt wanted to fly very much. Evidence of that comes from a special project Walt gave to Bob Gurr; the design of a folding jump seat that could be placed in the cabin center aisle, just behind the cockpit, so Walt could sit there and watch during take-offs. </span></div>
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Walt had his own personal seat in the back, with an altimeter and air speed indicator on the wall and a telephone direct to the pilot. Walt contributed to the plane's interior design and his wife, Lillian, assisted in selecting the fabrics and colors.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gulfstream N234MM Cabin Interior looking aft</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7-b9_EZSiQnz9309CSLF62lml3yIgT7jPAl51xzheoSAS9piDDJn__ZwCmZuih1Dg_CyjWzmwnnOe2ehelyxwAcnmLJZMlEx8xXUYVQ4ANXWqeVhnSarkiK1z5FcpnL7cFIRWLAYx2eE/s1600/Gulfstream_WDA_BA_Altimeter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="500" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7-b9_EZSiQnz9309CSLF62lml3yIgT7jPAl51xzheoSAS9piDDJn__ZwCmZuih1Dg_CyjWzmwnnOe2ehelyxwAcnmLJZMlEx8xXUYVQ4ANXWqeVhnSarkiK1z5FcpnL7cFIRWLAYx2eE/s400/Gulfstream_WDA_BA_Altimeter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabin Altitude, Clock and Airspeed indicators on Walt's office desk.</td></tr>
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Although Walt never got a pilot's license, he frequently sat in the co-pilot's seat. Chuck Malone felt confident that if he had been incapacitated, Walt could have gotten the plane back on the ground. One problem was that Walt always liked to fly as low as possible, to study the landscape. That caused some consternation with Disney's insurance company. When challenged about it, Walt protested; "The copilot's seat is the best seat in the airplane... if they don't like it, I'll get myself another insurance company!"</span></div>
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Walt was finally able to convince Roy that a plane was a useful tool for the company and not just an executive perk. In typical fashion, Walt planned a trip to Northern California, then on to Sun Valley for Roy and his wife Edna, Lilly and himself. Midway thru the flight Walt talked Roy into taking over the role of navigator. Having served as a navigator in the Navy in World War I, Roy responded with enthusiasm and by the end of the flight Roy had been converted.</span></div>
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In the book, <i>Walt Disney: An American Original</i>, Bob Thomas wrote:<br />
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<i>"Walt took delight in planning each trip, plotting the itinerary on maps in his office over his evening Scotch. When passengers arrived at the plane's home base at Lockheed Airport, he loaded their luggage aboard. During the flight, he served the drinks and supervised the galley. For years, Walt had yearned to pilot a plane, and on occasion, the company pilot, Chuck Malone, allowed Walt to take over the controls. Walt insisted that Ron Miller and Bob Brown learn how to land the plane in case of emergency when they were flying with their families. After Chuck Malone became ill while piloting the plane alone, Walt established the rule that two pilots would be required during all flights." </i><br />
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Regarding Walt's interest in aviation, Lillian commented;<br />
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<i>"We used to go to the airport and stand and watch planes land. Our first plane was a little one. We had one pilot. Walt said he wanted all his sons-in-law and everybody to learn to fly that plane. But after he had been up in it two or three times, he said, 'I don't want you to touch it. That's a business all its own. Keep away from it. We'll get pilots to fly that plane."</i><br />
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Lillian hesitated to take any risks and disapproved strongly of Walt's desire to fly. One time, Walt was in the cockpit and pilot Jim Stevenson let him have the microphone. Walt announced:</span> <i>"This is your captain speaking." </i>Lillian left her seat and was heading towards the cabin when Walt boomed over the mic:<i> "No, not the captain. This is the commander in chief of the whole damned outfit!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>As the Disney Company grew, so did the need for long distance executive travel. It established an in-house fight department named Earth Star Incorporated which has operated Gulfstream G650's, a G550 and a Bombardier CL-600 with tail numbers N100ES, N200ES, N400ES and N900ES.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-v9bd67DFlF-5t-dreI_7yIPfUt5qpyd4OxIGws0tg6HERqk_gDuy1gq3gJ5hX6dd8OExU9pw4bW1yxPaJNtvQXqsBNS-csjBk2-mG6fYZwmDO8jjh8gxPGdape5yz_241la4x1AbnMev/s1600/Gulfstream+G650+N100ES.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1024" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-v9bd67DFlF-5t-dreI_7yIPfUt5qpyd4OxIGws0tg6HERqk_gDuy1gq3gJ5hX6dd8OExU9pw4bW1yxPaJNtvQXqsBNS-csjBk2-mG6fYZwmDO8jjh8gxPGdape5yz_241la4x1AbnMev/s400/Gulfstream+G650+N100ES.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gulfstream G650 tail number N100ES</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdy_LcEp_uQhsVq9_uVYgyJe4mbmi0VVOIhP_lmA-kl5_1M2nFQXY5ThFohvulM_bnWg5w4HYtqSvyPYoD5Ci0qD74t95IhSoyHrm_Rax97qhWj0QtIkAmEcYYA3mXEEGZxU_O1vI4q1V/s1600/N400ES.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1200" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdy_LcEp_uQhsVq9_uVYgyJe4mbmi0VVOIhP_lmA-kl5_1M2nFQXY5ThFohvulM_bnWg5w4HYtqSvyPYoD5Ci0qD74t95IhSoyHrm_Rax97qhWj0QtIkAmEcYYA3mXEEGZxU_O1vI4q1V/s400/N400ES.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bombardier CL-600 tail number N400ES</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
If you long to fly for Disney, job postings for pilots still come up from time to time.<br />
<br />
If you have at least 5 years experience as a Jet Captain with an FAR Part 91 or 135 Operator, are current and qualified as a Pilot-in-Command in a multi-engine business jet aircraft, with at least 4000 hours total flying time with 2000 hours in multi-engine turbojets, hold current FAA Airline Transport Pilot and First Class Medical Certificates with at least one type rating in a business jet, you might just have the right stuff.<br />
<br /></div>
On the other hand, you might consider polishing up your Corellian YT-1300 piloting skills...</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-89855511797773240972018-05-24T20:25:00.003-07:002018-05-24T20:25:40.964-07:00Traits of Walt's Imagineers<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6821471393159232515" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 546px;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjNufjqZSojxQNzXVb_cGnNcargXQ350XfXvmlfn45m3WLAZh_uoa_hEzSnP5krrjBrH6RmRl-aTOMfKMrle-NCJ7TI6RjF-rogbS8yEB5gt-BqcE2_RsyNGb0DzmY_z5Vv-3Xu5Asqbo/s1600/Framed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjNufjqZSojxQNzXVb_cGnNcargXQ350XfXvmlfn45m3WLAZh_uoa_hEzSnP5krrjBrH6RmRl-aTOMfKMrle-NCJ7TI6RjF-rogbS8yEB5gt-BqcE2_RsyNGb0DzmY_z5Vv-3Xu5Asqbo/s400/Framed.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;">The Artistic Engineer with Mouse Ears</td></tr>
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<a href="http://thinkingofdesign.blogspot.com/2015/06/design-thinking-imagineering-side-by.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">In my previous post</a> I outlined the steps of Design Thinking, in the context of Imagineering:<br />
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i>Identify specific customer needs</i> with <b>Storytelling</b></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i>Generate ideas</i> with <b>Blue Sky Brainstorming</b></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i>Test and Learn</i> about ideas with <b>Rapid Prototyping</b></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Pay attention to the <b>details</b></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i><b>Plus it up</b></i> to exceed customer expectation</li>
</ul>
<div>
In this post I'm going to reveal a way for <b><i>almost</i></b> anyone to develop the traits of an Imagineer or at least figure out how many of them you may already have.</div>
<div>
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>----------------------------------------------------</i></b></div>
<br />
If you do a web search on "How do I become an Imagineer?" Google will currently return about 5400 results, some of which are actually written by former Imagineers, like Bob Gurr, who said;<br />
<br />
<i>"You have to have an inherent internal drive within you that has always encompassed a range of characteristics that I think most successful Imagineers were born with. Characteristics that one might not be able to purchase in college."</i><br />
<br />
Bob then went on to say that the Imagineers he has known have had three things in common;<br />
<br />
1) Permanent curiosity about everything<br />
2) Fearless creativity<br />
3) The ability to clearly express themselves in words and drawings.<br />
<br />
Let's look at each of these and one way to learn them;<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Permanent Curiosity about Everything</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<i>"The most important characteristic is to be permanently curious about everything, especially about stuff you don’t know, and stuff that does not seem relevant at the time."</i><br />
<br />
Bob's advice to be <b><i>permanently</i></b> curious about <b><i>everything</i></b> is significant. This is one of the core principles of deep creativity. The more raw material (ideas) there are to work with, the greater the number of possible combinations. In addition, the hidden links between seemingly unrelated things (the ambiguities and unknowns) often contain the seeds of break-thru creative solutions.<br />
<br />
One example of this is <a href="http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2001/10/a-review-of-the-ideo-process.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">IDEO's Deep Dive Process</a>. Developing deep relevant knowledge is also the first step towards what Bloom's Taxonomy calls the <b>Creating</b> phase, where information can be put together in innovative ways. Walt Disney exhibited this sort of behavior constantly. It is also a fundamental trait of babies and children. That is why DT recommends adopting the mindset of a novice.<br />
<br />
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Fearless Creativity</span></i></b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>"Not being afraid to show others a dumb idea. Maybe it will lead to something practical."</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/2011/09/12/fear-creativity/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Dozens of authors have written about the importance of overcoming fear.</a> In a <a href="https://hbr.org/2012/12/reclaim-your-creative-confidence" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">recent article in the Harvard Business Review</a> David Kelley commented:<br />
<br />
"Students often come to Stanford University’s “d.school” to develop their creativity. Clients work with IDEO, our design and innovation consultancy, for the same reason. But along the way, we’ve learned that our job isn’t to teach them creativity. It’s to help them rediscover their creative confidence—the natural ability to come up with new ideas and the courage to try them out. We do this by giving them strategies to get past four fears that hold most of us back:<b> </b><br />
<br />
<div>
1) Fear of the messy unknown</div>
<div>
2) Fear of being judged</div>
<div>
3) Fear of the first step</div>
<div>
4) Fear of losing control.</div>
</div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Express ideas in both words and drawings</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<i>"Imagineers have the ability to clearly express themselves in words and drawings."</i><br />
<br />
<b><i>Visual Thinking</i></b> - the ability to conceptualize in both images and words - is a key aspect of creativity. Artists and engineers both use their abilities to create images. It is the merging of these two skills which creates the Storyteller, who uses words and images to connect on a deep emotional level with the audience. This is something Disney has excelled at for decades and is also key element of <i><b>Design Thinking</b></i>.<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Focus on the Guest (customer) in every phase</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b>This one is so powerful it should probably have been stated first. Great Design, which seems like magic to the customer, comes from responding in a deep, empathic way, to guests' unexpressed needs. Its what enables the "How did they know I needed that?" moment of delight. This focus is often targeted at the <i style="font-weight: bold;">end user</i>, but the truth is the process starts with the very next person in your value chain - the person you deliver your work product to. Skip them - or anyone else - along the way and the quality of the end product will be reduced because someone's needs were overlooked or ignored.<br />
<br />
So, how can you buff up your creativity toolbox and at least <i><b>act </b></i>like an Imagineer? Simple! Use the <b><i>same methods</i></b> to enhance <b><i>your</i></b> creative process. Fortunately, there are sources you can turn to for lots of free high quality guidance, provided you are willing to call the toolkit by a different name;<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.ideo.com/images/uploads/hcd_toolkit/IDEO_HCD_ToolKit.pdf" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Human Centered Design Toolkit</a></i> - (IDEO) 154 pages 34.4 MB pdf download<br />
<br />
<a href="http://dschool.stanford.edu/use-our-methods/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><i>Use our Methods</i> - (d.school)</a> - "a collection of methods for folks new to design thinking."<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.creativeconfidence.com/chapters" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Creative Confidence</a></i> - The book by David Kelley.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><a href="http://sundanceartframe.com/graphic-design/techniques/1560520558.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Rapid Viz</a></i> - A classic introduction to rapid drawing techniques.</div>
</div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-21646691631414575632018-05-24T20:25:00.001-07:002018-05-24T20:25:22.032-07:00Designing Like Imagineers<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to Believe</td></tr>
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Matt O'Keefe wrote an article for <i>Theme Park Tourist</i> in which he listed <i>8 Key Principles That Disney Imagineers Use to Develop New Attractions;</i></div>
<div>
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Storytelling</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Brainstorming</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Details</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Kinetics</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't Give Up</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Fill Specific Needs</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Blue Sky Speculation</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Plus It Up</b></div>
<div>
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div>
I liked where Matt is going and wanted to take it a little further. In order to do that I'm going to compare Matt's list with the principles of Design Thinking, as taught at the Hasso Plattner Institutes of Design, also known as the d.school. Design Thinking and Imagineering are both associated with extreme innovation, so we might expect to see some parallels.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Design Thinking follows a <b><i>consistent, repeatable, process</i></b> which was described by Herbert Simon as;</div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<b>Define - </b><b>Research - </b>Generate - <b>Prototype - </b><b>Choose - </b><b>Implement - </b><b>Learn</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Each phase of the process has methods and set of </span><i style="font-weight: normal;"><b>principles</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> associated with it. Basically they address the questions of </span><b><i>What, How and Why </i></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">to do something in the context of problem solving.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I'm going to start by moving Matt's list of </span><b><i>Imagineering</i></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> principles around a little bit;</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">We start with </span><b>Identifying a problem</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, or </span><b>need(s) to fill. </b> T<span style="font-weight: normal;">his phase is what Simon calls </span><b>Define </b>and Matt calls <b>Fill Specific Needs</b>. The output of <span style="font-weight: normal;">Imagineering's need identification is a document called the </span><b style="font-style: italic;">Scope of Needs, </b>which is a list of what all the attraction "stakeholders" want, beginning with the Guests, including operations, maintenance, finance, etc. That's the <b style="font-style: italic;">WHAT</b> part. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-style: italic;">How </b>to identify a problem is addressed by Design Thinking's very well developed <b style="font-style: italic;">Interview with Empathy </b>methods, which basically involve talking with real users in the real world about their experience and desires. This has a parallel in Disney's <b><i>Storytelling</i></b>, as successful empathic interviews typically trigger the customer telling a story that involves how they felt about a problem.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Why</i></b> identify a problem or fill a need? Filling needs creates happy customers. Put another way, it creates value. This is also where <b><i>Plus It Up</i></b> starts to come into play because exceeding customer expectations results in <b><i>delighted </i></b>customers. <b><i>Plus It Up</i></b> also relates to paying<b><i> deep</i></b> <b><i>Attention to the Details</i></b>.<br />
<br />
Disney Imagineering's emphasis on the Guest Experience has a parallel in Apple's focus on <b><i>look and feel</i></b> (and WDI's <b><i>"kinetics"</i></b>) which have to do with the emotional content and presence of their products.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
How to generate ideas a.k.a <i style="font-weight: bold;">Brainstorming </i>is the most direct parallel, as both Design Thinking and Imagineering use the same term. That is done extensively in Disney's <b><i>Blue Sky</i></b> phase, where judgement is suspended and anything and everything goes.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Design Thinking also dives deep into explaining <b><i>how </i></b>to execute on developing and proving new ideas with Rapid Prototyping. Disney does lots of this during the Concept and Feasibility phases of their process.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Combined and rearranged the lists look like this:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>Identify specific customer needs with <b>Storytelling</b></li>
<li>Generate ideas with <b>Blue Sky Brainstorming</b></li>
<li>Test and Learn about the ideas with <b>Rapid Prototyping</b></li>
<li>Pay attention to the <b>details</b></li>
<li><b>Plus it up</b> to exceed customer expectations</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Along the way, it helps to be <i>curious</i>, <i>optimistic</i> and <i>persistent</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Follow this method and you'll be well on your way to creating solutions that suspend your customer's disbelief and making some magic.</div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-49714312610775789962018-05-24T20:22:00.000-07:002018-05-24T20:22:36.663-07:00Design Like Walt Disney <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Much of what is called Design Thinking has its roots in work done by John Arnold, Herbert Simon, Robert McKim and Rolf Faste, starting in the late 1950's. Today, Design Thinking is closely associated with methods taught in Stanford's Product Design Program, Joint Program in Design, at the d.school, and applied by IBM, IDEO, SAP, GE, GE Healthcare and Procter and Gamble. Other schools, colleges and universities are also offering theoretical and practical courses in Design Thinking.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoa">Alcoa</a> first described its method of blending of imagination and engineering, asImagineering in the 1940's. Union Carbide's Richard F. Sailer wrote an article called BRAINSTORMING IS IMAGINation engINEERing in 1957. Disney filed for a copyright on the term in 1967, claiming first use in 1962. Walt Described it this way, possibly as early as 1952;<br />
<br />
<i>"We keep moving forward - opening new doors and doing new things - because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. We're always exploring and experimenting... we call it Imagineering - this blending of creative imagination and technical know-how."</i><br />
<br />
<div>
Both processes are multi-phasic and include brainstorming and storytelling. They both utilize in-depth investigation and broad-scope information gathering (ie; IDEO's "Deep Dive") to thoroughly understand all aspects of the situation. Both processes are also highly collaborative and focus on the emotional and cognitive experience of the user.<br />
<br />
What are the differences and similarities between the methods taught at Stanford, used by IDEO and Walt Disney Imagineering? Are there common traits between one organization famed for its feel-good family entertainment and another known for solving "wicked" problems?<br />
<br />
First, a review of what the d.school says are the key phases of Design Thinking:<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>Empathize - Define - Ideate - Prototype - Test</b></div>
<div>
Brainstorming, Storytelling, Rapid Prototyping, Testing and Interviewing for Empathy stand out as key activities associated with the phases. These methods also create artifacts associated with each phase, like storyboards and models.<br />
<br />
My approach was to gather as much information as I could from both on-line and print sources where persons with first hand knowledge of Imagineering and Design Thinking explained the key elements of their design processes. Next, I looked for any significant correlations and parallels between them, both in terms of vocabulary and method; I also relied on my own experience applying the principles of Design Thinking over the past 30 years.<br />
<br />
<b>Storytelling - Tim Brown (IDEO)</b><br />
<br />
"Though its not always necessary to make your audience cry, a good story, well told should deliver a powerful emotional punch."<br />
<br />
"...a new idea will have to tell a meaningful story in a compelling way if it is to make itself heard."<br />
<br />
"...storytelling needs to be in the toolkit of the design thinker."<br />
<br />
<b>Storytelling - Walt Disney</b><br />
<br />
"The story man must see clearly in his own mind how every piece of business in a story will be put."</div>
<div>
<br />
"He should feel every expression, every reaction."</div>
<div>
<br />
"He should get far enough away from his story to take a second look at it... to see whether there is any dead phase...to see whether the personalities are going to be interesting and appealing to the audience."</div>
<div>
<br />
"The thing that makes us different is... Giving it "heart"... We developed a psychological approach to everything we do here. We seem to know how to "tap the heart." Others have hit the intellect. We can hit them in an emotional way. Those who appeal to the intellect only appeal to a very limited group."<br />
<br />
<b>Brainstorming - IDEO</b><br />
<br />
IDEO is so big on brainstorming they've got their own seven rules on their web site;<br />
<br />
1. Defer judgment<br />
2. Encourage wild ideas<br />
3. Build on the ideas of others<br />
4. Stay focused on the topic<br />
5. One conversation at a time<br />
6. Be visual<br />
7. Go for quantity</div>
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<b>Brainstorming - Marty Sklar</b><br />
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"Everyone starts with a blank sheet of paper..." "Here, what if actually means why not?"<br />
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"No one's going to stomp on you because you came up with a strange, weird idea..."<br />
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"These ideas are then shared with a handful of Imagineers who gather to bounce them around. We call this brainstorming." Usually, when a session begins, there are no certainties. To us, that simply means anything is possible."<br />
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"A brainstorming may last hours, days, even weeks." "The only rule during this time: there are no rules." "Every aspect is questioned, admired, debated, and turned upside down and inside out until that first sketch can take a daring leap off the napkin and grow into larger, more refined drawings and paintings. The brainstorming subsides when the basic idea is defined, understood and agreed upon by all group members. It belongs to all of us, keeping a rich heritage left to us by Walt Disney. Teamwork is truly the heart of Imagineering.<br />
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<b>Storyboarding - IDEO</b><br />
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A central way that IDEO fleshes out the details of a design is to develop detailed storyboards or scenarios of a person using the new device. <br />
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<b>Storyboading - Marty Sklar</b><br />
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"Our next step involves a little more imagination - and a lot more blank paper - as we define the details of the idea, and determine how it can best emerge to tell its story in a three dimensional world. Sketches are pinned onto large storyboards. Dozens of them are added, taken away, switched around, re-drawn, crumpled up and tossed out, then fetched from the trash can, un-crumpled, and put back up."<br />
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<b>Modeling</b> - (Prototyping) d.school @ Stanford<br />
The d.school is so committed to modeling and prototyping they have an entire class <a href="http://dschool.stanford.edu/prototyping-and-rapid-experimentation-lab/">(MS&E 488)</a> and Lab devoted to it. It's a key step in every iteration of the process.<br />
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<b>Modeling - Marty Sklar</b><br />
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Clay is molded, foam is carved, and cardboard and plaster are cut and glued together to bring the idea into three dimensions. Several generations of study models are built and rebuilt. First draft scripts undergo second and third revisions.<br />
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<b>Persistence - Walt Disney</b><br />
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"Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it and work at it until it's done, and done right."<br />
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“When we consider a new project, we really study it - not just the surface idea, but everything about it. And when we go into that new project, we believe in it all the way. We have confidence in our ability to do it right. And we work hard to do the best possible job.”<br />
"New ideas are continuously nourished as long as they have a shot at reality. If the spark of an idea is strong, it will never fade away. Even if it travels only far enough to appear on that first piece of paper, there it will patiently remain until the time is right for it to re-ignite."</div>
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<b>Persistence - IDEO</b><br />
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In <a href="http://designthinking.ideo.com/?tag=be-optimistic">The Little Book of IDEO</a>, the very first slide which appears is "Be Optimistic," close behind is Take Ownership.<br />
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<i>Some Preliminary Conclusions</i><br />
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I typically allow the reader to draw their own conclusions regarding my blog postings, but in this case, I'm going to say that I found a significant level of correlation between the two methods.<br />
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Some may say the similarities are co-incidental. That may be true, but if it is, I suspect it's because at their cores Design Thinking and Imagineering are both about the same thing; Creativity that connects with the user/guest at a deep emotional level.<br />
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In my blog posting <a href="http://reflectionsonwalt.blogspot.com/2014/05/making-walt-cry.html">Making Walt Cry</a>, I quote Walt on this point.</div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-71191996802418764692018-04-03T06:16:00.001-07:002018-04-03T06:16:20.940-07:00Project Management Lessons from Disney<div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lesson One: Pay fantastic attention to detail</span></b></div>
<i>“When we consider a project, we really study it…not just the surface idea, but everything about it. And when we go into that new project, we believe in it all the way. We have confidence in our ability to do it right…and we work hard to do the best possible job.”</i><br />
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Any project can and should not be managed as a whole. Projects are the sum of many small details across many distinct process groups. Keeping track of these details makes the difference between a well and poorly managed project. Tracking the details, anticipating issues, responding to risk, and keeping watch over a other seemingly non-connected tasks are what keeps your project moving forward. Don’t get bogged down with your team. Your main role is to keep one eye on the end goal and keep the project moving in that direction. Always know where your project is, where its going and what challenges your team is facing, so you can effortlessly communicate these facts to key stakeholders.<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lesson Two: Challenge the status quo</span></b><br />
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<i>“I happen to be an inquisitive guy and when I see things I don’t like, I start thinking, ‘Why do they have to be like this and how can I improve them?’”</i></div>
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How a project manager responds to issues and risk makes the difference between an “out of control” project and a project “within control limits.” One of the major steps of the project management maturity model is recognizing and avoiding past mistakes. When we ignore our project success and failure history, we are doomed to repeat it. Leading change within a project is occasionally necessary to correct inconsistencies, errors, omissions, and/or responses to new issues. Project management methods aren't “one size fits all” and existing business processes may not mesh with what your project is expected to deliver. You’ll need to determine exceptions to both project management protocol and normal business operations. Challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries of accepted norms are occasionally required of a Project Manager to get the job done.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Three: Don’t forget about the quality</b><br />
<i>“I want a guest to walk into a five million dollar restaurant to buy a five cent hamburger.”</i><br />
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Project quality is embodied by a successful deliverable. Walt Disney was trying to set the scene for a quality and enjoyable experience within his Disneyland theme park. You may not want to set this lofty of a quality goal, unless you work for Disney, but as a Project Manager, you must ensure that every project deliverable meets the quality goals and customer expectations. The Project Manager walks a very narrow tightrope. Exceeding expectations can bring claims of gold-plating, while cutting quality to meet budget, schedule or scope constraints can lead to very unhappy stakeholders.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Four: People expect you to fail…prove them wrong</b></div>
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<i>“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”</i></div>
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Based on the oft-quoted Standish CHAOS report of project success rates it is easy to see how some people, including your own project team members and stakeholders, can be skeptical of your ability to successfully deliver a project within budget, time and scope parameters. Fair or not, the Project Manager is expected to re-direct accolades of project success back toward the team, while on the flip side, accept full accountability when the project fails to deliver on its promises. How you manage the effort, including the team you are given, the communications you provide, the expectations you set and/or manage and the direct guidance you provide as you lead through issues, risks, milestone checkpoints and delivery acceptance are under your control. Make informed decisions and direct rather react.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Five: Team members make the project a success, not the project manager</b><br />
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<i>“You can design and create and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality.”</i></div>
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Building a top-notch project team is an essential ingredient to the success of a project. Teams of technical or subject matter geniuses don’t always play well together. Ensuring a proper blend of subject matter expertise and a good team dynamic can turn a sluggish project into a streamlined project. By planning the team structure carefully, before the project is launched, future risk is reduced. Publicizing reward and recognition programs to promote “above and beyond” effort before the project even begins promotes positive attitudes and fair leadership right from the start. Equally important, having a plan already in place for correcting and/or negating the impact on the project of poor work or a discouraged and stressed out team saves valuable risk response time for other issues that may arise later during the project.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Six: Make meetings more productive</b></div>
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<i>“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”</i></div>
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Project planning meetings, project status meetings, informal project discussions, and the dreaded elevator meeting. For all of these forms of project communication, preparation and planning are key. When project team members are sitting in a status meeting, they are not working on tasks needed to reach the next milestone. Keep this in mind when you prepare your meeting agendas and participant lists. Does the project team really need to sit through a recap of the tasks closed in the last thirty days? Probably not, since they are the one’s who closed them! An effective use of project resource time however, is a half-day workshop early in the project to define key project milestones, streams of work, tasks and time estimates. Always ask yourself why a meeting is better than other forms of communication.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Seven: Promote and champion change</b><br />
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<i>“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”</i></div>
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As a project manager, you are an instrument of change. Projects are usually created to fix or improve something and they have stakeholders who are positively or negatively affected by the result of the project you are managing. Simply starting a project can shake up the status quo and make people uncomfortable. Change requires clear and effective communication about why the project improves the organization. Change also requires a strategy for dealing with challenges to the project.<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Eight: Plan to defend your project</b><br />
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<i>“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.”</i></div>
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One of the main responsibilities of a project manager is to defend the integrity of the key project control parameters…scope, schedule and budget. That isn’t to say that the three tenets of the “project iron triangle” can never be changed. With proper change management protocol in place, project leadership decisions, and the necessities of project execution, can dictate changes to the original plan. However, one must always remain vigilant to the negative effects of scope and feature creep, gold plating and risk, regardless of the source. How many times have you been approached by a project sponsor or stakeholder who demands that you change the project without going through the bother of running the request through the integrated change control system? If you’ve succumbed to this peer pressure and the project gets derailed, you’ll be the one left without a chair when the music stops!<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Nine: Innovation can come from inside the project team, not just from the stakeholders</b><br />
<i>“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we are curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”</i></div>
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Allow your team members to be an integral part of creative problem solving for the project. By soliciting creative thought from your team members, you foster and atmosphere of innovation, stream-lined solutions, and increased team morale. Early on in the project life cycle, challenge your team to think creatively about developing solutions to the problem being addressed by the project. Be accepting to changing plans, approaches and solution ideas. Run some “proof-of-concept” sessions or trial runs to validate the ideas. Once the project team has landed on a particular approach however, that is the time to start bringing more control and managed change to the initiative. Locking in on the tasks needed to deliver a specific approach ensures execution on the idea. Allowing blue-sky thinking to continue without end causes uncontrollable work effort or worse, “analysis paralysis.”<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lesson Ten: Know when to manage, and when to lead</b></div>
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<i>“You know, one day when a little boy asked, ‘Do you draw Mickey Mouse?’ I had to admit I do not draw anymore. ‘Well, then you think up all the jokes and ideas,’ he said. ‘No,’ I said, ‘I don’t do that anymore either.’ Finally he looked at me and said, ‘Mr. Disney, just what do you do?’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘sometimes I think of myself as a little bee. I go from one area of the studio to another, and gather pollen, and sort of stimulate everybody.’ I guess that’s the job I do.”</i><br />
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An effective project manager must know when in the project life cycle to manage, and when to lead. Typically, management activities occur during the initiating and planning phases of the project. The project manager must, by proper protocol, maintain a more “hands-on” approach to guiding the project through the initiating and planning processes. Defining the project scope, building a charter, developing cost estimates to include with funding requests, preparing stage gate presentations and generating a work breakdown structure with the project team are all direct management activities for the Project Manager.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, during the executing and controlling phases, the Project Manager should take a step away from the day-to-day operations of the project and transition into more of a leadership role. By using a “management by walking around” approach, the Project Manager can allow the team to focus on executing the plan (completing the work) while he/she communicates updates on progress, provides steering/coaching where needed and deals with issues and/or risks that may be experienced.<br />
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<br />
So in a nutshell, what are the ten things Walt Disney taught me about project management? </div>
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<ol>
<li><i><b>Believe in the project one hundred percent. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Balance the constraints of time, quality and budget very carefully. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Set a positive environment for the project from the very beginning. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Pay extraordinary attention to detail. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Walk the project path before ever taking a step. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Assemble the best possible project team and plan for both achievement and challenge. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Maintain clear and consistent communications throughout the project and be aggressively proactive in communications with the team and the stakeholders. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Listen to and understand the unasked question. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Be certain of project completion criteria. </b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Learn from both successes and failures.</b></i></li>
</ol>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-1514176945967882382018-04-03T06:01:00.000-07:002018-04-03T06:01:40.913-07:00Buzz Price and the Power of Yes, if...<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
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Valerie J. Nelson's <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/17/local/la-me-buzz-price-20100817" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">article in the August 17, 2010 <i>Los Angeles Times</i></a>, paid tribute to Harrison "Buzz" Price of the Stanford Research Institute, who had passed away two days earlier. As you can see from the plaque above, Buzz was a Disney Legend.</div>
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Nelson referred to Buzz as <b>"an engineer turned theme-park strategist whose research led Walt Disney to place Magic Kingdoms in Anaheim and Orlando..."</b> The article also quoted Michael Eisner that Price <b><i>"was as much responsible for the success of the Walt Disney Co. as anybody except Walt Disney himself..." </i></b><br />
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What was it that enabled Price to have such a significant influence on Disney's success?<br />
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Price was frequently called on to evaluate the viability of Disney projects. He developed a research method that suited Walt and Roy’s needs perfectly. The method took a <i>“Yes if...”</i>line of approach. </div>
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Of this approach Price said; </div>
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<i><b>“Yes if..." is the approach of a deal maker. It points to what needs to be done to make the possible plausible. "No because..." is the language of a deal killer. Creative people thrive on ‘Yes if...” </b></i></div>
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Buzz added; <b style="font-style: italic;">“Walt liked this language.” </b>It blended well with Walt's constantly urging his Imagineers to "plus it."</div>
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There is a direct parallel to "Yes if..." in Design Thinking; asking "What if?" and using "Yes, and..." rather than "Yes, but..." when brainstorming.<br />
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Fred Gleeck and Avish Parashar have a YouTube video that demonstrates the difference.</div>
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Before I viewed this video I had no idea that "Yes, if..." could be the basis for standup comedy. Gleeck and Avish's routine show how much more "Yes, but..." feels like an argument. An argument is probably <b><i>not</i></b> what you want to have during a brainstorm - or possibly any other time.<br />
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Placed on a continuum from No to Yes, it looks like this;<br />
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To end on a bit of a whacky note; this reminder from Monte Python of how much fun it is to have a really good argument!</div>
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Just remember, the next time a problem solving opportunity comes your way, work to get to the "Yes if..."side of things. It will go a long way towards developing a creative solution.</div>
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It worked for Walt.</div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-24191248112177185432018-01-13T11:15:00.001-08:002018-02-01T05:48:54.910-08:00Walt's Creative Process<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a document titled <b>"Walt Disney World Background and Philosophy"</b> and dated September 21, 1967, Marty Sklar, then director of WDI, sent a memo to "Those Concerned" regarding the "Florida Project." His reference may have been towards Walt's recent death, the future of Walt Disney World and the company. Marty wrote;<br />
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<i>"This assemblage has been prepared as a background and starting point for developing a "philosophy" for the Disneyland-style theme park in Walt Disney World. There is a great deal of other material, particularly articles about Disneyland, that might have been included. However, the intent here is to provide, as a foundation, <b>Walt's thinking and philosophy as it was applied in Disneyland</b>, and additionally Walt's thoughts apply to what we are now beginning."</i><br />
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Section 7 - <i>Walt's Quotes re: Disneyland</i> contains statements from various printed sources, primarily interviews with reporters from newspapers around the country during Disneyland's Tencennial Year.<br />
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These quotes form an outline of Walt's creative process;</div>
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<br />
<b>On Improving Things:</b><br />
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"I happen to be a kind of inquisitive guy and when I see things I don't like, I start thinking; Why do they have to be like this and how can I improve them?"<br />
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<b>On Developing Ideas:</b><br />
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“We call them gag sessions. We get in there and toss ideas around. And we throw them in and put all the minds together and come up with something and say a little prayer and open it and hope it will go."<br />
<b><br />On Curiosity:</b><br />
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"There's really no secret about our approach. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious ... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. We're always exploring and experimenting. At WED, we call it lmagineering - the blending of creative imagination with technical know-how."<br />
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<b>On Courage:</b><br />
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"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage. Take Disneyland for example; Almost everyone warned us that Disneyland would be a Hollywood spectacular -- a spectacular failure. But they were thinking about an amusement park, and we believed in our idea -- a family park where parents and children could have fun -- together."<br />
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<b>On Confidence:</b><br />
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"We consider a new project, we really study it - not just the surface idea, but everything about it. And when we go into that new project, we believe in it all the way. We have confidence in our ability to do it right. And we work hard to do the best possible job."<br />
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<b>On Continued Growth:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>"The way I see it, Disneyland will never be finished. lt's something we can keep developing and adding to. A motion picture is different . Once it's wrapped up and sent out for processing, we're through with it. If there are things that could be improved, we can't do anything about them any more. I've always wanted to work on something alive, something that keeps growing. We've got that in Disneyland."</div>
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Walt's basic approach; <i>Be curious</i>, <i>See a problem</i>, <i>Research deeply</i>, <i>Brainstorm</i> and <i>Move forward with courage and confidence</i>, has parallels in other methods, but few of them also bring Walt's special ingredient; his "Pixie Dust." into the mix. Pixie Dust refers to being responsive to people's hidden needs, creating surprise and delight by giving them something that they wanted without being asked or told about it.</div>
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It's a framework for work and life that offers endless possibilities.</div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-58154959600032090352016-12-03T04:20:00.001-08:002017-01-01T13:20:52.100-08:00Patently and Exclusively Walt<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Between May 26, 1931 and November 25, 1958 the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded Walter Elias Disney eight patents, each of which expresses an element of Walt's vision for the company and the park that bears his name, starting with an ornamental design for the toy figure of a mouse.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOsKBoBIQANHKgeUL7fcRz4PihBsDZAIPiht50EaBo4yfx4_tdQ9VRT-AFl-D84d3wMbHWllYYVeHwA1-3brmmI5eN3_O5hjcDA9K1Wo8eDCD4AJlnSaXjmY0mSfPshC7kwvDvGdcS5ml/s1600/Minnie+Mouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOsKBoBIQANHKgeUL7fcRz4PihBsDZAIPiht50EaBo4yfx4_tdQ9VRT-AFl-D84d3wMbHWllYYVeHwA1-3brmmI5eN3_O5hjcDA9K1Wo8eDCD4AJlnSaXjmY0mSfPshC7kwvDvGdcS5ml/s320/Minnie+Mouse.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USD84233 - March 30, 1931</td></tr>
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Her name was Minerva and she first appeared alongside Mickey in Steamboat Willie on November 18, 1928. The comic strip story <i>Mr. Slicker and the Egg Robbers</i> introduced her father Marcus, his brother Milton and her grandparents Marshal and Matilda, uncle Mortimer and twin nieces; Millie and Melody. Of course, most of us know her better by her nickname; Minnie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqQ1mk8FV3TOEEcsLH3vFvUSHx9C_hD_0sjFQl8FTv3ra3MGGICJxtSilconGHxgFUACgby6UGGCnjsXDrZ3WJ510KHy6dlVouGbg4jI7klW4ul6_E0jHhUrMu9mZUEnk_QXi_OFOTqxr/s1600/Minnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqQ1mk8FV3TOEEcsLH3vFvUSHx9C_hD_0sjFQl8FTv3ra3MGGICJxtSilconGHxgFUACgby6UGGCnjsXDrZ3WJ510KHy6dlVouGbg4jI7klW4ul6_E0jHhUrMu9mZUEnk_QXi_OFOTqxr/s400/Minnie.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
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Walt's next step was to figure a way to synchronize filmed movement and sound, which he did, applying for patent protection for that process in US 1,941,34; Method and Apparatus for Synchronizing Photoplays, filed April 2, 1931.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US 1,941,341- April 2, 1933</td></tr>
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This invention may have come out of conversations between Walt and Carl Stalling about whether the animation or the musical score should come first. Among other things, The Silly Symphonies cartoons, which were produced between 1929 and 1939, explored ways to develop musical scores that Walt'a animators could easily coordinate with their animation.<br />
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While working with Walt, Carl Stalling pioneered the use of ”bar sheets,“ which allowed musical rhythms to be sketched out simultaneously with the animation storyboards. Stalling left Disney in 1930, the same time as Ub Iwerks. Finding few outlets for his craft in New York, Stalling re-joined Iwerks at his new studio in California, and did freelance work for Disney and others.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney and Carl Stalling</td></tr>
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On December 30th, 1933, Walt decided to protect a pair of characters that would be the heart of one of the most successful of his early animation efforts. <i>The Three Little Pigs</i> was released on May 27, 1933 by United Artists. Produced by Walt Disney and directed by Burt Gillett, it won the 1934 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The Three Little Pigs cost $22,000 and grossed $250,000. It was later selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USD 91990 and 91991 - December 30, 1933</td></tr>
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Sticking with stories that featured wolfs, Walt next applied to protect the image of a little girl with pudgy hands and a little red cape, who's grandmother needed protecting too. Little Red Riding Hood appeared in both a Laugh-O-Gram and the Silly Symphony titled Big Bad Wolf.<br />
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Rather than using animation cels, Red Riding Hood was mostly made by photographing inked lines on paper. In 1980 it was on the American Film Institute's "10 Most Wanted Films for Archival Preservation" list. A print of the film was discovered in a London film library in 1998, and restored.</div>
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<span class="s1">USD92167S - March 7, 1934</span></div>
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Disney was constantly pushing both his art and the tools to produce it. By 1936 he was working on ways to speed up the filming process - as evidenced by patent 2,201,689 aptly titled <i>Art of Animation</i>.<br />
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It describes ways to improve the process of producing animated cartoons and specifically relates to ways of properly and accurately placing images with respect to a background, thereby creating accurate shadows. US2201689A was filed September 1st, 1936, but would't issue until 1940.</div>
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The need to speed things up is evident by the number of films Disney had in the works. Thruout 1937, the studio would release a new short film roughly every three weeks. Disney also began story development on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first animation cells for Snow White would be sent to Ink and Paint in January, and then on to the Camera Department on March 13th. </div>
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On May 30th, Roy Disney concluded negotiations with Bank of America to obtain a loan of $630,000. That would be equal to nearly $11 million dollars today. Roy would be back at Bank of America in September seeking another $327,000. Final animation work on Snow White would be completed on November 11th.<br />
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On December 21st, RKO premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood. It was the industry's first full-length animated movie. The $1.5 million needed to complete the film nearly bankrupted Disney.</div>
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<span class="s1">US2201689A - </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">September 1, 1936</span></div>
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World War II would rage from September 1, 1939 to September 2, 1945. In the midst of that Walt would apply his creativity towards supporting America's troops at home and building relationships abroad. The studio would produce dozens of films for the Department of Defense and a small feature called <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Saludos Amigos </b>featuring </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Carioca" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="José Carioca">José Carioca</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, the Brazilian cigar-smoking parrot.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USD13466S - August 11, 1942</td></tr>
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Walt had one more South of the Border trick up his sleeve. The Three Caballeros third member is a pistol packing rooster named <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchito_Pistoles">Panchito Pistoles</a>. Panchito <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">appeared in several</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_comics" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="Disney comics">Disney comics</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, including</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Rosa" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="Don Rosa">Don Rosa</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">'s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Caballeros_Ride_Again" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The Three Caballeros Ride Again">The Three Caballeros Ride Again</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnificent_Seven_(Minus_4)_Caballeros" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The Magnificent Seven (Minus 4) Caballeros">The Magnificent Seven (Minus 4) Caballeros</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. Panchito did not appear in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saludos_Amigos" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="Saludos Amigos">Saludos Amigos</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, because Walt hadn't created him yet.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USD136368 - June 15, 1943</td></tr>
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Over the next ten years, Walt would shift his focus to much bigger things, culminating in the opening of Disneyland in July of 1955. </div>
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There would be two more individual patents filed before this death. The first was for a ride in a rocket ship.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US 2,861,806 - July 17, 1956.</td></tr>
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Next was for a much more down to earth attraction; the Tea Cups, simply referred to as a Passenger Carrying Amusement Device. Arrow development, the prime vendor for several of Disneyland's opening day attractions, would build it and later re-deploy the design at the 1961 Seattle World's Fair as the Space Whirl.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Des 180,585 - July 17, 1956.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space Whirl - Seattle Worlds Fair</td></tr>
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Note that both of these patents were filed one year to the day after the opening of Disneyland. They were also the last patents Walt filed where he was the only listed inventor.<br />
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-41955892479739047742016-11-20T08:55:00.002-08:002016-11-21T17:34:14.611-08:00Steamboat Mickey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A three page document, dated May 19, 1928, holds some fascinating clues about the personality and thoughts of the man who brought us The Mouse. In particular, what was going on in Walt's mind regarding what I'm sure he was fervently hoping would be a break thru moment in the history of all things Disney.<br />
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Typewritten on a Remington, in a standard pica font at ten characters per inch, on five hole punched paper, the wording of the message is instructive, insightful and revealing.<br />
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This memo was probably written in haste, judging from the spelling and punctuation errors and likely done by Walt himself, reflecting many of the experiences, fears and hopes which had brought Roy, Ub and himself to that moment. <br />
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Note the call for everyone to do their best, that there was plenty of room for everyone to add their own gags, and the triple shot of not letting anyone know what they were up to. <br />
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I wonder if Walt had any idea that he was going to end up doing Mickey's voice for the next few decades.<br />
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It is signed, simply, in pencil; <br />
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Good Luck <br />
Walt<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">*STEAMBOAT MICKY*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This will be our first "sound" Mickey, and the first of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">many.The whole feeling should be MUSIC & MOVEMENT, its </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">very important for the motion to be as fluid as possible</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">and to be naturally worked into the story and "gags".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">What we have outlined in the script leaves a lot of</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">room to add your own "gags", and changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">the most important thing is that we all put our best</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">efforts and ideas into the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Mickey must be featured at all times as the centre of</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">the action,and try to work in as much " GAG INSTUMENT "</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">STUFF, as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The New timing sheets should help you in setting up</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">scenes,and gag stuff.but thay must not be taken out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">of the studio just in case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">At all times you must not let anyone know that we are</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">making a "Talkie Cartoon" so keep this to your selfs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">and do not take any materials home with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Also please try to come up with a "Voice" for MICKEY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">we are all contributing to this part of the project</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">so keep your ears open?.............................</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">DO NOT TAKE SENARIO OUT OF THE STUDIO.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Numbers to call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">WALT. Ext.207.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">UBI. Ext.143.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ROY. Ext.204.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">CameraDept,211............INK.210..;.....PAINT.200.</span></div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-64819785174456334442016-09-26T17:25:00.001-07:002016-09-26T17:26:03.755-07:00Three Favorite Walts<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Three Walts</td></tr>
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Among the hundreds of images of Walt Disney there are three which are my personal favorites because of the way they portray him. The first is a young Walt, laying on his stomach, holding a camera, smiling.<br />
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The next shows him probably thirty years later, at the throttle of his miniature steam locomotive, grinning like a kid at Christmas. His hair uncharacteristically fluffy, bangs falling down over his forehead.<br />
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The last image shows him talking to one of his staff, necktie loosened, upper shirt button undone, collar open, hand on his left hip. Its a casual pose you wouldn't expect from the big boss.<br />
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Bob Gurr worked for Walt for 45 years, so he knew him pretty well. Here Bob,reflects on Walt's management style and the way he treated his employees;<br />
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Note that Gurr specifically mentions Walt deliberately loosening his tie and making himself look kind of "ratty" in order to be more approachable, as shown in the middle photo, above.</div>
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Of course, for casual, it's hard to top Walt in a hammock, but not at work.</div>
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<br />Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-63448556568270826322016-08-30T14:47:00.001-07:002018-03-19T18:50:52.909-07:00A Billion Fearless Dollars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mark Eades recent story about Disneyland's Million Dollar Dazzle charity campaign got me thinking about the stories which are told by the animated films which Walt was personally involved in making. It's an impressive list. From Snow White to Mary Poppins, over the course of three decades, a dozen movies explored how love overcomes hate, hope vanquishes despair, persistence pays and optimism is always the better play. The box office figures support this hypothesis; Averaging just under $86 million per film, the dozen Disney classics have generated just over $1 Billion to date.<br />
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Since Walt's death some have questioned whether the company which became his avatar has held true to his vision, carefully and persistently preserved in those foundational animated features. I believe they have, even with the occasional stumble. Beginning with Toy Story and carried thru another dozen films, from Monster's Inc. to Zootopia, the viewing public has responded time and again with their hearts and their wallets to a very simple fact; fear kills all the things which make life worth living. Walt knew this. It was a guiding principle which he had learned the hard way.<br />
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I witnessed this recently at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It was late afternoon on one of those days when all of Florida is trying hard to impersonate a sauna. While waiting in the gift shop near the Star Wars Launch Bay I noticed that a crowd had gathered outside. Looking out the door I saw this scene;<br />
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This August Saturday was one of those 90 degrees @ 90 percent afternoons that make you grateful for $4 frozen lemonade. Yet, here were a dozen Storm Troopers marching thru the courtyard, with two others standing guard at the Launch Bay entrance. I stopped the camera once they'd passed, but should have kept filming because what happened next made someone's day Magical.</div>
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The two Storm Troopers who'd been standing guard walked over to a young girl in a wheelchair who clearly had special needs. One of them said to her; "Come with me." The three of them followed by the girl's family, proceeded to the middle of the courtyard, where they posed with the Troopers for photographs, flanking the girl on both sides were the elite shock troops, fanatically loyal to the Empire, impossible to sway from the Imperial cause, clowning a bit for the camera. After the pictures were taken one of the troopers said to the girl;<br />
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<i>"That will be all. "Don't cause any further public disturbances." </i><br />
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The smiles all around were contagious. At this point I had two types of moisture running down my face and it wasn't raining. I can't even imagine how hot and humid it must have been inside those Storm Trooper suits.</div>
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That's what Disney does; They take things which are frightening, flip them on their head and turn them into lifelong memories of family and friends, converting our monster nightmares into giant blue furry snuggle buddies.<br />
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Even for just a little while, they bring us onto the stage of a different type of story, one in which its safe to trust, good to believe and even better to be unselfish. It's a world where we can be scared for a while without always being afraid and it's OK to fail because you can get it right the next time, or the time after that, or after that. (<a href="http://reflectionsonwalt.blogspot.com/2014/04/that-nervous-breakdown-thing.html" target="_blank">Walt went bust five times before he got it right.</a>)<br />
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We'll talk more about fear and creativity in another post. For now, just know that these are the troops you are looking for and I think Walt would have approved.<br />
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-86398827191323274762016-08-29T14:50:00.001-07:002016-08-29T15:10:32.842-07:00Walt's Creative Process<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
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Two of the questions many people have about Walt is how he was able to be so creative and what was his recipe? I'm not sure anyone has fully answered either yet. Part of the difficulty in doing so is that it's one thing to <i>study</i> creativity and another to <i>practice</i> it. Some of the most famous designers have maintained that you can't do both; that you can study it or practice it, but not at the same time.</div>
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When I began researching the similarities between Imagineering and Design Thinking, I had the idea that comparing the lives of very creative people, to see if there were any common themes between them, might shed some light on it. That turned out to be much more difficult than I expected, not only because of the sheer volume of reading material, but also because Walt and his Imagineers didn't really talk much about their methods. Even when they did, their vocabularies were very different. Disney spoke in the context of telling stories and making movies and engineers talk like engineers (or maybe Yoda.) For a current example you can view a video of Bob Gurr speaking at Google at the end of this post.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Today we're going to look at a creative method that hasn't gotten much press. I'm talking about the idea of the </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Three Walts</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>The Three Rooms.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ollie Johnston</td></tr>
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Oliver Johnston was born on Oct. 31, 1912, in Palo Alto, Ca. His father was a professor at Stanford. "Ollie"was one of Disney's "Nine Old Men". Many feel that the two most accomplished of the group were Ollie and his close friend Frank Thomas. The pair met at Stanford in the 1930s and were hired by Disney for $17 a week when the studio was expanding to produce full-length feature films.<br />
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Ollie once noted that he and Frank were bound to be thrown together at Stanford, since they were two of only six students in the art department at the time. When not in class, they painted landscapes and sold them at a local speakeasy for food money.<br />
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Ollie observed that there were actually <i style="font-weight: bold;">three Walts</i> and that you never knew which one was coming to your meeting;</div>
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<li>Walt the <i><b>Dreamer.</b></i></li>
<li>Walt the <i><b>Realist.</b></i></li>
<li>Walt the <i><b>Critic. </b></i></li>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Not only were there three Walts, when ideas were being developed there were three different rooms which were used to investigate, discuss and refine the</span><b style="font-weight: normal;">m.</b></div>
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<li><i><b>Room 1</b></i> was for <b>brainstorming, </b>where all ideas were presented - no naysaying allowed.</li>
<li><i><b>Room 2</b></i> was for <b>storyboarding & sketches</b> of potential characters for the story.</li>
<li><i><b>Room 3</b></i> was for <b>putting the project under the microscope. </b></li>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Room 3 was called the </span><i>Sweatbox. </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">I</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">t </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">was there that the entire project was presented, not only to the team, but to Devil’s Advocates, the most famous one being Walt. In these "Critic"meetings no one was personally attacked, but it was where ideas either became a reality or were sacked!</span><br />
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Here are some detailed descriptions of what happened in each phase and room:</div>
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DREAMER -<span style="font-weight: normal;"> Dreamers spin innumerable fantasies, wishes, outrageous hunches, bold and absurd ideas, without limits or judgment. Nothing is censored. Nothing is too absurd or silly. All things are possible for the dreamer. Dreamers ask: </span><i><b>If I could wave a magic wand</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><b>and do anything I want – what would I create?</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Pixie Dust) </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">How would it look? What could I do with it? How would it make you feel? What is the most absurd idea I can conceive? Dream-storming in Room 1 was the space for asking "What if?" and "Why not?" This is the What and Why parts of the story are developed.</span></div>
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<b>REALIST</b><b style="font-weight: normal;"> - </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The realist builds the dreamer’s ideas into something possible and feasible. They try to figure out how to make the ideas work and sort them into an executable plan. To be a realist, you ask: </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">How can I make this happen</span><b style="font-weight: normal;">?</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> What are the main features and aspects of the idea? Can I build on ideas from the features or aspects? What is the essence of the idea? Can I extract the principle of the idea? Can I make analogical-metaphorical connections with the principle and something dissimilar to create something tangible? </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">How can I use the essence of the idea to create a more realistic one? This is where the Who and How parts of the story are developed.</span></div>
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<b>CRITIC - </b> The critic reviews all the ideas and tries to find flaws in them by playing the devil’s advocate. Critics, ask: <i><b>How do I really feel about it?</b></i> Is this the best we can do? How can we make it better? Does this make sense? How does it look to a customer? A client? An expert? A guest? Is it worth our time to work on this idea? This was also where Walt was when he suggested "plussing"things up. This is also a place to explore another from of Who, How and Why, only inverted.</div>
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For example; Suppose someone wanted a better way to water their garden. The <i>dreamer</i> might suggest teaching the plants how to talk, so they can tell you when they are dry. The <i>realist</i> develops this into an animated bird that monitors the moisture content of the soil. The realist refines the idea by exploring various sensors, hardware and software. Finally, the <i>critic</i> evaluates the idea for all possible flaws and problems.</div>
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Organizing these into process steps you get;</div>
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<b>Step 1 - “WHAT are we going to do?”</b></div>
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Dream big. Any idea, no matter how absurd, can and should be suggested. Defining the big, bold objectives that will shape your project.</div>
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<span class="s1"><b><i>The Room Setup:</i></b></span> Open, airy rooms with lots of light and high-ceilings are the best for thinking big. The team should <b><i>sit in a circle facing each other</i></b> to promote collaboration and creative flow.</div>
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<i><b>Mindset:</b></i> Any idea is fair game. This step is not about feasibility, it’s about surprise. Set aside your assumptions and push yourself to think in new ways.</div>
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<b>Step 2 - “HOW are we going to do it?”</b></div>
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Here the focus is on creative <b><i>execution</i></b>. How will the idea be implemented? Who’s doing which tasks? What’s the timeline? In Disney’s case, this phase would involve sketching out characters, discussing plot, <i>(storytelling - df)</i> and populating storyboards.</div>
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<span class="s1"><b><i>Room Setup</i></b><i>:</i></span><i> </i>A practical room with a <b><i>large dry-erase board</i></b> or wall which facilitates strategic planning. The team should sit in a <b><i>semi-circle facing the board</i></b> as everyone participates in the planning process.</div>
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<b><i>Mindset:</i> </b>This is where you roll up your sleeves and fill in the blanks. You may find a gem of an idea from the first step that needs to be fleshed out. During this phase, seek to resolve every uncertainty around timing, logistics, and feasibility. When something doesn’t make sense, question it.</div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>Goals:</i></b> Seek to resolve every uncertainty around timing, logistics, and feasibility.</div>
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<b>Step 3 - “WHY are we doing this?”</b><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Ask “Is this the right approach?” In this final phase, the critic enters the fray, asking the hard questions. Is the plan really doable? Are there unwieldy aspects that need to be cut? Are you meeting the overall project objective? The process shifts from dream-storming, to subsequently</span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span>practical</i>.<span style="font-weight: normal;"> The environments in the various “rooms” prompt us to adopt the best mindset at the right time, ultimately giving great ideas the thoughtful consideration they require to ultimately be implemented.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><i>Room Setup</i></b><i>:</i></span><i> </i>Analytical thinking is best done in smaller, more constrained spaces. (The Disney crew used a small room under the stairs.) The <b><i>team sits in a single row facing the project plan</i></b>, which promotes criticism of the project, but not individual people.</div>
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<i><b>Mindset:</b></i> Pose the difficult questions and share the earth-shattering doubts. In considering How, you’re likely to get lost in the weeds. The Why? step provides the perspective from the balcony as opposed to the dance floor. In this phase, consider the plan in the context of your business and your long-term mission.</div>
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Where traditional brainstorming approaches would probably have us patting ourselves on the back and adjourning the meeting, Imagineering, and Design Thinking, go deep: they are methodical, disciplined, and time-intensive up front.</div>
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<b>Here are some ideas for Mascots for Walt's three rooms:</b></div>
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The Realist - Ludwig Von Drake is the analyst.</div>
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The Dreamer - Mickey has the vision, heart and empathy.</div>
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The Critic - Donald Duck has the eye for what's missing or just plain wrong.<br />
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By the way. Walt is generally credited for having invented another creative tool; the storyboard.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Realist, Dreamer and Critic</span><br />
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Bob Gurr at Google</div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-69768573399348297732016-08-26T16:53:00.000-07:002019-03-11T07:30:10.669-07:00Disneys in Florida?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flora and Elias Disney</td></tr>
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Eighty years before The Walt Disney Company petitioned the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court for the creation of the Reedy Creek Drainage District, which would later become the most visited vacation resort in the world, another Disney tried to make a go of it in Florida. Many of the places these early Florida residents inhabited are now ghost towns or gone.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias Disney's Petition for Citizenship</td></tr>
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In his 1934 Petition for US Citizenship, Elias Charles Disney stated that he and his wife Flora Call were married in Paisley, Florida on January 1st, 1888. Flora's parents, Charles and Henrietta Call, had moved there in 1884 and would live out their lives and be buried there, together, in the Ponceannah Cemetery. Their grave site is toward the back, marked with a vertical white stone, carved to look like a tree trunk.</div>
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<span class="s1">Today, Paisley Florida is a <span class="s2">census-designated place</span> in <span class="s2">Lake County with a population of about 700</span>. While it is part of the <span class="s2">Orlando</span>–<span class="s2">Kissimmee</span> <span class="s2">Metropolitan Statistical Area, </span>Paisley has never been much more than a wide spot in the road, currently near where </span><span class="s2">Lake County Road 42</span> and Maggie Jones Road intersect. CR-42 meanders along the southern edge of the Ocala National Forest and is a pleasant drive along forested rolling hills. <span class="s1">The north shore of nearby <span class="s2">Lake Norris</span> is home to <span class="s2">Boy Scout</span> <span class="s2">Camp La-No-Che,</span> which in summer time and during Scout Jamborees has a larger population than Paisley. </span>Paisley is also host to the <span class="s2">Toronto Argonauts</span>' pre-season training and free agency camp. The area was named after <span class="s2">Paisley</span>, Scotland. </div>
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<span class="s1">The 1885 Census shows Elias Disney living in District 14 (Alachua) Orange County, Florida. </span>One source indicates that Flora and Elias were married in Acron. Another says they were married in Kismet. Acron is now gone, but back then it was not far from Mount Dora and Sorrento, which is twenty miles south of Paisely.<br />
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Acron began in the 1860’s on Acron Lake. Also spelled Ackron and Akron, it was home to a sawmill, gristmill, farming families and citrus groves. To get to Acron visitors would pay a fare of $6.00 for a steamer down the St. John’s River from Jacksonville to Hawkinsville. From there you traveled overland by mule cart. John C. Campbell was the first postmaster in 1877. Acron originally had a population of 30 but grew to 300. The Acron School was established in 1875 with Sara Campbell as its first teacher, Flora Call would later become the second. </div>
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During this time, Elias became very fond of Flora Call, the teenaged daughter of a neighbor who lived only a couple of miles away. The Call family had moved to Florida in 1884, after some very severe Ohio winters, accompanied by Kepple and Elias Disney, who both settled in Acron. The area was remote, with only seven families at the time. Officially designated a county on May 27, 1887, Lake issued its first marriage license exactly seven months later, in December, for the Disney-Call wedding.<br />
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Kepple Disney was not pleased with Florida and almost immediately moved back to Kansas. Primarily because of his interest in Flora, Elias bought a 40-acre farm in nearby <a href="http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/fl/kismet.html" target="_blank">Kismet. </a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand View Hotel</td></tr>
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Kismet was founded in 1884 by the Kismet Land and Improvement Company. It was near Lake Dorr, eight miles west of Paisley and featured a 50 room hotel for winter visitors. Kismet was popular until the "89 Big Freeze" which was the demise of a number of flourishing citrus towns. The Grand View Hotel in Kismet was torn down, hauled to Eustis and rebuilt on the corner of Grove and Magnolia Street, where it stood as the Eustis Grandview Hotel until it was torn down about 1955. All that remains of Kismet today are several gravestones in the abandoned cemetery.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bellvue Halifax Hotel</td></tr>
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Elias sold the farm and tried managing the Halifax Hotel in Daytona Beach, but left when things slumped after the summer tourist season. Next he got a job as a rural mailman in Kissimmee, which is the first major city east of DisneyWorld today. He saved enough money to buy an 80-acre orange grove near Paisley. <br />
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The '89 freeze put an end Elias's oranges, leaving him with a young wife and newborn son, Herbert, who was born in Sorrento on December 8, 1888, and no way to make a living. The little family moved to Chicago, where Elias became a construction worker. Raymond was born in Chicago December 30, 1890, followed by Roy on June 24, 1893, Walt in December 1901 and sister Ruth in 1902. </div>
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Walt Disney's uncle, Albert Perkins, was the postmaster of Paisley from 1902 until 1935. Jessie Call Perkins taught in several Lake County schools and eventually served as principal of Eustis High School. When her husband died, she succeeded Albert as postmaster and served until 1946.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Jessie, Walt and Irene Campbell</td></tr>
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Roy and Walt are rumored to have both visited Paisley. The story goes that young Walt and Roy visited Jessie and Albert during their summer vacations from school. There is one photo of Walt visiting his Aunt Jessie and cousin Irene sometime in the 50's. He and Lillian also rode the train from Washington, D.C. to Key West in 1931. From there, they went to Havana for a week before returning to California by way of a steam ship thru the Panama Canal.</div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="s2">Paisley is only about 50 miles north of Walt Disney World. You can take the 429 north to the 414, then onto the 441 and eventually County Road 439 will hook you onto Highway 42 and into Paisley.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span class="s2">Eustis, Sorrento and the remains of the Kismet Cemetery are all nearby.</span></span><br />
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-36654682221453260722016-01-12T11:51:00.001-08:002016-01-12T11:51:19.493-08:00This is the Disney Bio You're looking for<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgMjhy3ANO7S2EMJtYc0vSiOK8wQyMDNIYeU5PC8FUGWo8gfy-aRoJHtd49fBW87ORg6y8mQCuQWqy9AufuwCIPmHjrF6dHCDoQoRuOzKC7KooCLnBGawtmCJk8Zkf1SF7ydidvYNzgF1/s1600/This+is+the+bio.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgMjhy3ANO7S2EMJtYc0vSiOK8wQyMDNIYeU5PC8FUGWo8gfy-aRoJHtd49fBW87ORg6y8mQCuQWqy9AufuwCIPmHjrF6dHCDoQoRuOzKC7KooCLnBGawtmCJk8Zkf1SF7ydidvYNzgF1/s400/This+is+the+bio.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px;">Christian Moran has put together a well researched, excellently documented and balanced biography of Walt Disney, his work and vision. It's a bit long for casual viewing (100 minutes) but it hits all the significant elements of Walt's drive to use technology in ways never done before. The commentary is factual, accurate and intelligent. I really can't recommend this production highly enough.</span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pwLznNpJz2I/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pwLznNpJz2I?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32px;">There is a companion book, but we're going to have to wait for a DVD.</span>Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-26134063989687049532015-12-12T14:19:00.001-08:002018-10-13T19:05:41.680-07:00Walt's Office Ghost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The frost is on the Pumpkin<br />
A nip is in the Wind<br />
and so it's time to share the Tale<br />
of Walt's Office Ghost, again...<br />
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In December of 2014, I attended the cast member and family Holiday Celebration at the Burbank Studios and wanted to take the opportunity to view some of the artwork in the corridors. I knew that Walt's Office was in one of the buildings, but wasn't sure which one, so I asked a security guard for directions. He knew which building it was, but wasn't exactly sure where the office might have been in the building, so I headed over, thinking I'd get more directions when I arrived. Little did I know I was about to get more than I was expecting.<br />
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Nearly everyone was at the party, so the halls in the building were empty and quiet. Fortunately, I ran into some very helpful party-poopers on the second floor who directed me further upstairs, but not before telling me a story about Walt<br />
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Apparently the IT/Networking group does their maintenance in the buildings after hours. When it is particularly quiet and absolutely no one else is there, some of the technicians have reported hearing Walt's distinctive cough near the corner of the building where his office used to be. </div>
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I took this photo from the hallway outside the door, before the recent renovation. The low lighting and endless reflections between the full glass doors across the hall from each other add a rather eternal perspective. Mickey is there, standing guard, acting as sentinel over his muse's former workplace. The feeling was a bit dark and gloomy, but also peaceful and serene.<br />
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I stood there quietly for a few long moments, listening and peering deeply into the darkness beyond the transparent portal. Finally, reaching for my iPhone, hoping to capture a fleeting image that would convey the feeling of the scene, I coaxed the dim light into memory, turned, and headed back towards the glowing Holiday lights and merriment outside.</div>
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True to Walt's wishes. I've plussed things up a bit and take this out once or twice a year, for Halloween and his birthday. See if you can find the hidden "Mickey." °o°</div>
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Full size it's 4x4 and 400 dpi, so it should print nicely.<br />
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Please feel free to share.</div>
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-df</div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-91455292362924702022015-11-12T05:38:00.002-08:002015-11-12T06:52:22.851-08:00Sticking to the Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">The 1970’s, in the immediate wake of Walt’s death, were lackluster years for the Disney Company. Most of the revenue was generated from the re-distribution of old films and attendance at Walt Disney World. Top animators defected in 1977 and subsequent efforts failed to capture the magic of the studio’s glory days.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">In the early 80’s, Ron Miller began expanding the product line into films for “adult audiences”. Touchstone’s pictures were some of the most financially and critically successful films of the time. Although Disney was careful not to use its name on any Touchstone production in order to preserve its image as a creator of family entertainment.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Beginning in 1984, Michael Eisner continued to pursue a market segmentation and expansion strategy, adding two more film subsidiaries, one devoted to producing films for teenagers and young adults and the other for adult entertainment.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The 90’s were a breakout decade for Disney, <b><i>primarily driven by a return to quality animation and storytelling</i></b>. A sting of hits produced by both Disney and Pixar reminded us that great “family friendly” entertainment never really goes out of style.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Over last 20 years, Disney has expanded operations, adding theme parks, cruise ships, resorts, television and live theater, basically returning to Walt’s model of owing both the media production and distribution channels for high quality stories. The popularity of Disney franchises and animated features has funded further acquisitions; Pixar, Marvel and Lucas Film, adding more stories to the library, while renewing and expanding on updated versions of classic fairly tales.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">There is no doubt that over the past 10 years Disney has been a rousing financial success. Since 2008, their market capitalization growth has bettered the overall market by nearly 3:1. </span>In the midst of this fiscal fever, it’s important to not loose track of what made it all possible. Based on results, what works is when the company sticks to the four basic principles espoused by its creator; Safely, Efficiently and Courteously telling stories to the kid in everyone.</div>
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<span class="s1">That may sound boring to some, but financially it appears to be pretty exciting and, so far, it seems to be working.</span></div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-4233428203203881792015-04-05T11:21:00.000-07:002016-08-28T17:15:09.079-07:00The Disneyland Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in 2010, BusinessBrief.com's Bob Hill wrote an article called <a href="http://www.businessbrief.com/walt-disneys-8-secrets-to-success/"><i>Walt Disney's 8 secrets to success</i></a>. In it, he summarized what he felt were the "eight principles that made Walt Disney one of the greatest icons of the 20th century." I've summarized and annotated them here;<br />
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<li>Focus on “the experience” as a key component to increasing value.</li>
<li>Exceed customers’ expectations with relentless attention to detail and personalized service that is designed to revolutionize the industry.</li>
<li>Passion; Disney films and theme parks are <i>labors of love</i>.</li>
<li>Stay true to Disney's values.</li>
<li>Hire reliable people who understand the vision and trust them to transfer it to others.</li>
<li>Defy convention: Buck the odds and ignore the critics. Trust your instincts.</li>
<li>Leave behind something to grow.</li>
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When I hear concerns and complaints people have about the company, or their experience in the parks, I try to frame them in the context of Walt's goals and vision. For example; I ask myself if the cause of a complaint is the result of failing to exceed expectations. I also ask if those expectations were realistic and if there was a fair exchange of value - including travel time. This helps take the conversation outside of individual preferences for one attraction or another and places it in the context of a proven set of values which are the historical foundation of the company's success.</div>
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On a related note; I believe that responsibility for preserving and improving the park experience is not one sided. I think we - as Guests - have a responsibility to play by Walt's rules when in his Kingdom. The "Magic" flourishes best when both everyone willingly suspends their disbelief and embraces the possibilities of a having a mutually magical experience.</div>
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<i>“Disney Land is something that will never be finished, something I can keep ‘plussing’ and adding to. I just finished a live-action picture. It’s gone. I can’t touch it. I want something live, something that will grow. <u>The park is that</u>.” - <b>Walt Disney</b></i></div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-91139455404558633002015-03-31T06:26:00.000-07:002016-08-28T17:16:27.000-07:00Performance Excellence (1994)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIPw57f2_e_1ab8J4kYazegevXDWC2pLdtVAoG1O-0UdloYV5iACHHrtiCB0ybe4B3zpdCXThWXcHiPzaGd5oLn_D5aWzRYsPbK7hN_PaB38B15w_v_hhC0MzC6CgppKLzyAhvoCHP0ER/s1600/Performance+Excellence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIPw57f2_e_1ab8J4kYazegevXDWC2pLdtVAoG1O-0UdloYV5iACHHrtiCB0ybe4B3zpdCXThWXcHiPzaGd5oLn_D5aWzRYsPbK7hN_PaB38B15w_v_hhC0MzC6CgppKLzyAhvoCHP0ER/s1600/Performance+Excellence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back in 1994, when Disney was about to celebrate their 40th Anniversary. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Judson C. Green, then chairman of Theme Parks and Resorts, penned a pamphlet for Cast Members </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">which <i>"defined the daily goal of exceptional performance... so we may all share a common foundation and expectation of how we intend to work together in the future." </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">In 2000, Green left Disney to become President and CEO of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Navigation Technologies Corp, as described in an <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2000/apr/18/business/fi-20733" target="_blank">April 18th article in the LA Times</a>, but the legacy of his vision for the future of Disney lives on in these words:</span></div>
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<b>PerformancExcellence</b>:</h3>
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<li>Exceeding guest expectations</li>
<li>Getting involved</li>
<li>Breaking down barriers</li>
<li>Sharing information and suggestions</li>
<li>Working smarter</li>
<li>Trying new ways to do things</li>
<li>Listening to others</li>
<li>Being a team player</li>
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<b><i>Our Disney Culture:</i></b></h3>
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We have a rich heritage, traditions, quality standards, and values which we believe are critical factors to our success. This foundation, as well as certain traits and behaviors, create a unique environment which we call the Disney Culture. We will seek to understand and cultivate our culture and challenge ourselves to model the behaviors that it represents.</div>
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<i><b>We respect the Disney Heritage and Traditions:</b></i></h3>
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We are committed to a friendly and informal work environment.</div>
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We show our pride and respect for the Disney Product and Legacy.</div>
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We emphasize Cast training and recognition.</div>
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We pursue synergistic opportunities.</div>
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We demonstrate our concern for our environment and community.</div>
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We emphasize "family" entertainment.</div>
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We protect the public's trust in Disney.</div>
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We are committed to education.</div>
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<b><i>We ensure the Disney Quality Standards:</i></b></h3>
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We put safety first, to provide secure, safe experiences for our Guests as well as our Cast.</div>
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We give friendly, personalized service and treat every guest as a VIP.</div>
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We deliver flawless and professional presentations every day, for every guest.</div>
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We strive for the fastest and most effective systems and procedures in order to provide a quality Guest experience.</div>
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<i>We share these Disney Values:</i></h3>
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HONESTY - We deal with each other in a sincere and straightforward manner.</div>
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INTEGRITY - We act in a manner consistent with our words and beliefs.</div>
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RESPECT - We treat others with care and consideration.</div>
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COURAGE - We pursue our beliefs with strength and persistence.</div>
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OPENNESS - We share information freely.</div>
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DIVERSITY - We seek value and respect differences among our fellow Cast Members.</div>
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BALANCE - WE strive for stability and vitality in our personal and professional lives.</div>
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<i>We demonstrate these Disney Traits and Behaviors:</i></h3>
We enjoy making our guests happy.<br />
We care about our fellow cast members.<br />
We work as a team.<br />
We deliver quality.<br />
We foster creativity and innovation.<br />
We encourage risk-taking, realizing that mistakes amy happen.<br />
We are attentive to <i>every</i> detail.<br />
We find enjoyment and fun in our work.<br />
We assume responsibility beyond our individual roles.<br />
We are emotionally committed to Disney.<br />
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<b><i>Effective Leaders of PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE:</i></b></h3>
Share their vision and belief in the Disney Culture.<br />
Share their enthusiasm and pride in Disney with the Cast.<br />
Energize others with their commitment for PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE.<br />
Display decisiveness and a sense of urgency in achieving goals and objectives.<br />
Encourage creativity and risk-taking.<br />
Promote teamwork to accomplish our business objectives.<br />
Set challenging goals which are realistic, clear and measurable.<br />
Hold themselves and other Cast Members accountable for their performance.<br />
Unleash the potential of each Cast Member by providing developmental opportunities.<br />
Listen<i><b> intently</b></i> to diverse opinions.<br />
Communicate honestly and frequently, soliciting feedback and suggestions from Cast Members at all levels of the organization.<br />
Interject a sense of humor, fun and enjoyment in their work.<br />
Set the stage and work with others to produce the show...<br />
Celebrate the Victories!<br />
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<i>Walt may have said it more simply, but I think the message still rings true to his vision.</i><br />
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-60366475449638803992015-03-22T08:19:00.002-07:002016-08-28T17:56:18.290-07:00The Wonderful World of Disney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr65XmAvhAbwoxgfVAieZ28BhuobP_ue3-om8zxDeuqAVorFd9_HD5TeJUljdxrOe017GdRqpEbWVt_KAxNBpohekFy6RNqsUp_a6R_s9n_HwTLhcCWPh134Zak_SRM-ztE_ntrMhuixp4/s1600/Happy+Walt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr65XmAvhAbwoxgfVAieZ28BhuobP_ue3-om8zxDeuqAVorFd9_HD5TeJUljdxrOe017GdRqpEbWVt_KAxNBpohekFy6RNqsUp_a6R_s9n_HwTLhcCWPh134Zak_SRM-ztE_ntrMhuixp4/s1600/Happy+Walt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love this photo of Walt. Dressed in a casual sport shirt, natural hair, huge smile on his face, eyebrows raised looking like a kid on Christmas morning. He's doing something that he genuinely loves.<br />
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Cynics could point out dozens of things about him which they question, from his sincerity to his intentions, but far more often than not, their complaints are more reflections of their own unhappiness than any objective judgement of the man behind the throttle.<br />
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There is a reason why he called the park Disneyland and described it as the Happiest Place on Earth. It was literally his world - his creation - and was intended to be different than what was going on outside the very deliberately placed berm which shelters and frames what happens inside.<br />
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It is also part of the reason why so many others have tried and failed to accomplish what he did. When you enter one of Walt's worlds, the rules are supposed to be different. It's not about today and here. It's about the best of the past, your hopes for the future and magic - which is a key element of fantasy.<br />
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Here is an example of the type of things that can happen in Walt's Worlds: <br />
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A young girl recently recounted the story of what happened to her when she met Peter Pan; <br />
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<i style="font-weight: normal;">"He saw my arm and he grabbed it and held it up and looked at it. There are scars on my arms from self-harm."</i><br />
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The he asked:<br />
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<i>"Are those scars from pirates? That old Captain Hook can be so thoughtless sometimes. Doesn't even realize what he does hurts! You can come to Neverland with me, and I won't let any marks find your arms ever again."</i><br />
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When asked why he cared so much, Peter said that nobody should have to deal with such personal pain and "marks like that made a person grow up too fast." I don't know why Peter knows what he seems to about self-harm, or that it is associated with a history of trauma. What I do know is that Disney and the Parks are supposed to be a place of refuge from the things on the outside, often imperfect world.<br />
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Walt put it this way: "Safety, for both our Guests and our Cast is always our first concern. We take pride in our tradition of providing a safe, carefree environment..." </div>
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Peter clearly understands this and I'd bet he loves creating and sustaining the Wonderful World of Disney as much as millions of others enjoy visiting it.<br />
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<aside><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><i> </i></span></aside><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw_YyAKY8ChOw9ZBk7C8KLiQVhseXJ97x6HutyXNLOKF9sUANz4WVUCq4CydnLOL1z71AR6JVjAXj2UBx722JP1s2rmdvH3OR567xbYJAQX7OW1ReQKwD7gJAK3Vvtrc9OCf-J-QiUFZi/s1600/P1000040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw_YyAKY8ChOw9ZBk7C8KLiQVhseXJ97x6HutyXNLOKF9sUANz4WVUCq4CydnLOL1z71AR6JVjAXj2UBx722JP1s2rmdvH3OR567xbYJAQX7OW1ReQKwD7gJAK3Vvtrc9OCf-J-QiUFZi/s400/P1000040.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt's Park Rules</td></tr>
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<aside><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><i> </i></span></aside></div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-57530272641394398342015-01-23T20:01:00.001-08:002015-01-24T09:55:13.766-08:00Dear Miss Ford...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil53QSXAayKXvKIiCb_LkNdx5u-ndwxAMES5q2FIelNuJuuW4onPsiwNfT0MTF7jbVY-eUpOgKJz53iK-W5shnBoe-S-Zq4kRfSvSr7h9NSm7t211HTal6KpTMC9EDqx1cgQuaxMG1N7GC/s1600/IMG_6845_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil53QSXAayKXvKIiCb_LkNdx5u-ndwxAMES5q2FIelNuJuuW4onPsiwNfT0MTF7jbVY-eUpOgKJz53iK-W5shnBoe-S-Zq4kRfSvSr7h9NSm7t211HTal6KpTMC9EDqx1cgQuaxMG1N7GC/s1600/IMG_6845_2.JPG" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
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I recently came across a reposting of the Mary V. Ford letter, which actresses and activists have been using to take Walt Disney to task for a string of accusations, most ending in some sort of "-ism".<br />
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While researching what prevailing attitudes in America were towards women in the late 1930's, I came across something by Mickey Moran which was selected by the Loyola University Department of History as the Outstanding Paper for their 1988-89 academic year, entitled <a href="http://www.loyno.edu/~history/journal/1988-9/documents/1930sAmericaFeministVoid.pdf">1930's America - Feminist Void?</a><br />
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In six, well written, pages and three dozen footnotes, Moran explored then current attitudes regarding women's rights. Several paragraphs were quite relevant.<br />
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Pointing out a widespread lack of support for the ERA, government and commercial regulations restricting working hours, or the type of labor women could perform, declining economic conditions causing intense competition for jobs, a widespread belief that a woman's primary role was to civilize her husband, family and society at home, and a sharp decline in the number of women obtaining advanced college degrees, Moran sums the decade up with these words:<br />
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<i>"But while the number of married women in the work force actually increased by 50
percent between 1930 and 1940 - despite the Depression -women found enormous
obstacles blocking their entry into certain fields. Most women found work in factory and
clerical jobs, as traditional barriers against women in professional fields loomed higher. Instead of "glamorous" professions, 36 percent of working wives entered domestic
and personal services, while another 20 percent were in apparel and canning factories. Those who were in lower-level professions, such as elementary and high school
teaching, found men displacing them for higher pay. In 1939, the median salary of a male
teacher was $1,953 a year, while female teachers received only $1,394."</i></div>
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With this backdrop, Walt's opinion, whatever it was, was probably at least mainstream for the time.<br />
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With an understanding of Disney's process of making feature length animated films the letter to Mary Ford - actually penned by Mary Cleare - begins to take on a distinctly different tone.</div>
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a massive undertaking. <a href="http://blog.modernmechanix.com/the-making-of-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/">An article by Andrew Boone in the January 1938 issue of Modern Mechanix</a> estimated the effort at more than 1,500,000 individual pen and ink drawings. Six months was expended by the animation team before the illustrations used in the film were even begun. Then the actual cells were produced, at the rate of 1960 per day, to create the master reel. Boon explains:<br />
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<i>“Ink and paint” represents the manufacturing bottle neck, for a movie cartoon can progress no more rapidly than skilled hands complete the multitude of drawings. Since this cartoon required an average of twenty-two individual painted cels for each foot of completed picture, 166,352 finished paintings were exposed to the camera.</i></div>
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Movie|fone reported; <i>"The film's production took nearly five years. It took at least 570 crew members (some sources say 750), <b>most of them animators or water-color artists</b>. As many as 2 million sketches and paintings were created, though only about 166,000 of them can be seen in the finished film."</i><br />
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The list of visual artists who worked on Snow White is impressive. In addition to most of Walt's Nine Old Men, it includes hundreds of women including Claire Weeks, Jeanne Lee Keil and Rae McSpadden. The group of Assistant Animators included Marc Davis and Ollie Johnston, then in their mid 20's, who were certainly, as Ms. Cleare factually stated, "young men".</div>
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Note also that Mary Cleare didn't turn Mary Ford away. Rather, she suggests that Miss Ford show up with samples of her pen, ink and watercolor work, and points out that competition for the openings is stiff.</div>
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It appears that the letter was somewhat of a template, as another, sent to Frances Brerer of Van Nuys about a year later has a familiar ring. Again the closing message is that they'd be happy to talk with Frances, if she shows up and brings her portfolio;</div>
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By the way, we probably also shouldn't overlook the fact that there was probably lots of support for the Ink and Paint girls coming from another quarter. At this point, Walt had been married to a former Ink and Paint Department girl for over a decade and had made her sister head of the department.<br />
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Here is a link to a much more interesting take on the story of being one of Disney's 100+ Ink and Paint Girls, from the March 2010 issue of Vanity Fair; <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/03/disney-animation-girls-201003" target="_blank">Coloring the Kingdom</a>.</div>
Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-9727939673202449682015-01-08T22:09:00.000-08:002015-03-22T06:41:08.541-07:00A New Opening Day Story - Walt Eyes the Skies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are dozens of stories about all of the things which weren't ready or didn't work on Opening Day, from the lack of drinking fountains to high heals breaking off in the asphalt and "milking the elephant" to get rid of Dumbo's Hydraulic Shaving Cream.</div>
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Walt was a stickler for detail. Disney was, and still is, legendary for timing story elements to fractions of a second. Missing the mark or gag timing was bad show. Then actor Ronald Regan, announcer for the Opening Day parade knew about timing and, on que, he'd announced something about the show to the millions of viewers in the TV audience, but Walt was the only one who's gaze was elevated.</div>
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What Walt was anxiously anticipating was a flyover by jets from the 146th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard, stationed at nearby Van Nuys Army Airfield. It was probably supposed to happen during the closing bar of The Star Spangled Banner, just as the Marine Band launched into their opening number.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17 Minutes into the show Walt anxiously scans the skies<br />
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A full minute minute later the unmistakable sound of jets was heard. The TV cameras caught nothing as they panned up. We'll probably never know what thoughts were going thru Walt's mind, but I'm pretty sure that if the lead pilot could have seen his face, the legendary raised eyebrow would have been there.<br />
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It may have been too much to ask to get a flock of screaming, six ton, 670 mile per hour, fighter jets to pass over the flagpole in time with the music, but it apparently wasn't out of the question for the man who made elephants fly.</div>
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A visual record of the the moment has probably been lost forever, but here is a guess at what the scene may have been as the flight formed up for their pass.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come right to 180 and descend to 1000 feet... Shucks! We're late!<br />
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I think they should have come right over the Castle and directly down Main Street.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castle Blues<br />
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Today the flyover tradition continues and the Blue Angels don't miss their mark.<br />
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-372260412062461732014-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:002016-08-28T17:18:13.619-07:00"I'm not Disney anymore..."<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFK1kSxi-xAFFr3LmC4c-yoQn-gxZ7mQm4nrFLPFLDD270eDnWlJjnPL5HwtqwJatjoIjA0wI_Y3xd7XTVN_yhBTX2UgYYDV8vjibehiMfS3bppo-zzD-06l41LIXnzsBt3Ci4562fyYR/s1600/P1000169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFK1kSxi-xAFFr3LmC4c-yoQn-gxZ7mQm4nrFLPFLDD270eDnWlJjnPL5HwtqwJatjoIjA0wI_Y3xd7XTVN_yhBTX2UgYYDV8vjibehiMfS3bppo-zzD-06l41LIXnzsBt3Ci4562fyYR/s1600/P1000169.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney's California Adventure</td></tr>
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<span class="s1">I was reviewing some material I used in one of my Arrow Development postings and came across these quotes from Walt;</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>"I'm not Disney any more. I used to be Disney, but now Disney is something we've built up in the pubic mind over the years. It stands for something and you don't have to explain what it is to the public. They know what Disney is when they hear about our films or go to Disneyland. They know they're gonna get a certain quality of entertainment. And that is what Disney is."</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>"What is the difference between our product and the other?... The thing that makes us different is our way of thinking, our judgement and experience acquired over the years. Giving it 'heart.' Others haven't understood the pubic. We developed a psychological approach to everything we do here. We seem to know how to 'tap the heart.' Others have hit the intellect. We can hit them in an emotional way. Those who appeal to the intellect only appeal to a very limited group."</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt Disney Productions Stock Certificate Image</td></tr>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-85242708313641657152014-08-13T19:03:00.002-07:002016-08-28T17:13:45.062-07:00Walt's Disneyland Story Memo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sometime in 1953 a prospectus for a place called Disneyland was prepared. In twelve pages it outlined the purpose and form of a new type of gathering place, one for people of all ages and backgrounds. It was to be a place to find happiness and knowledge, teach and be taught, share hopes and dreams and be a source of courage and inspiration for all the world. </div>
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It remains the voice of the man who dictated it and the place which followed and bears his name.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Holographic Re-creation</i></span></td></tr>
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<br />Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200061123470282762.post-78212850802830320512014-07-11T07:39:00.002-07:002014-09-07T18:45:19.351-07:00Walt's Estate and Legacy<div class="p1">
An article in the December 22nd, 1966 <i><b>Times Record</b></i> offers some details on the disposition of Walt's estate. Fourty-five percent went to the family; Lillian, Diane, Sharon and their children. </div>
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Another fourty-five percent went to the Disney Foundation. Five percent of that (2.13% of the total) was reserved for charitable organizations, at the discretion of the foundation. The remaining portion of the second fund (42.87% of the total) went to the California Institute of the Arts.</div>
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According to online sources; "The Walt Disney Company Foundation was established in 1951 by Walt and Roy O. Disney to serve The Walt Disney Company's philanthropic needs and interests. It does so today along with Disney Worldwide Outreach, part of The Walt Disney Company.<br />
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The Walt Disney Company's outreach initiatives are dedicated to making the wishes of families and children a reality through public service initiatives, community outreach and volunteerism in the areas of compassion, learning, the arts and the environment.<br />
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To learn more about The Walt Disney Company Foundation and Disney's outreach programs, visit <a href="http://www.disneyhand.com/">www.DisneyHand.com</a>." In 2013, the Disney Company donated $369.5 million in strategic philanthropy.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Disney Will Leaves Three Trust Funds</span></b></div>
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Los Angeles (AP) - The will of Walt Disney - leaving three major trust funds - was filed for probate yesterday, naming his widow, Lilian, as a trustee and executor of the estate.</div>
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The document, dated March 18, disposes of Disney’s separate property and his half of community property. No estimate of the estate’s value was given except to note that the moviemaker left “substantial real and personal property.”</div>
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Disney, 65, died last Thursday.</div>
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Also named trustees and executors were attorney Herbert F. Sturdy and United California Bank.</div>
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The first of the trusts was named the Disney Family Trust, leaving 45 percent of the estate to Mrs. Disney and two daughters and grandchildren. The daughters are Mrs. Ron Miller, Encino, Calif. and Mrs. Robert Brown, Tarzna Calif.</div>
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The second trust <was> another 45 percent of the estate, which went to the Disney Foundation. The will said five percent of this is to remain in the foundation to be earmarked for charitable organizations, at the discretion of the foundation.</div>
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The remaining 95 percent of the second fund goes to the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. Disney was instrumental in founding the institute, a college level professional school for the creative and performing arts. It now has a student body of 950.</div>
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The third fund (10% of the total?) went to benefit three nieces and a sister. The nieces are Marjorie Davis, of Beverly Hills, Calif., Dorothy Disney Puder, Bakersfield, Calif., and Phyllis Bounds, Los Angeles. The sister is Ruth Flora Beecher of Portland Ore.</div>
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Disney is also survived by two brothers, Roy O. Disney and Raymond A. Disney, who received no bequests.</div>
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Thinking of Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202963376017843238noreply@blogger.com0